IRVING, Texas -- Ben Crane made a 14-foot birdie putt on his last hole Friday for a 7-under 63 and a one-stroke lead after two rounds at the Byron Nelson.
At 12-under 128, Crane was one stroke ahead of Jordan Spieth, Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka and Bud Cauley.
Spieth scored a 65. He's playing only his second tournament since squandering a five-stroke lead on the back nine at the Masters. The world's No. 2-ranked player missed the cut last week at The Players Championship.
The last time Crane led a tournament was at Memphis two years ago, the last of his five PGA Tour victories.
Crane first took the lead after six birdies in an eight-hole stretch, including a 70-foot shot from a greenside bunker at the par-4 third hole, his 12th of the day. The closing birdie came right after his only bogey.
"I've been struggling really for three years now, but intermittent bits of encouragement,'' Crane said. "This has been one of those weeks where I feel like my game is really coming around.''
His only bogey came on his 17th hole Friday, the 463-yard eighth hole in which his first two shots found the primary rough before his 16-foot par chance curled under the cup. Crane had two-putted from 50 feet on the previous hole to save par, and regained the outright lead with his final stroke of the day, a 14-foot birdie putt to match the best 36-hole score at Lord Byron's tournament.
"A great way to finish and just kind of good continuation of all the good stuff that was happening throughout the day,'' Crane said.
Koepka had a 64, Cauley shot 65 and Garcia 66.
D.A. Points had nine birdies and a bogey through 13 holes in his second round, then parred the last five holes to finish a round of 62, the best round of the day and nine strokes better than his first round. Defending champion Steven Bowditch shot 70 on Friday and just made the cut at 2-under 138.
The Australian who lives in North Texas had missed the cut in his five previous tournaments, and seven of the past nine.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.