Miami, March 5

Five days after clinching his 12th PGA Tour victory, red-hot Adam Scott charged into the second-round lead at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami on Friday.

The Australian, who won the Honda Classic last Sunday, birdied three of his final four holes at the difficult Blue Monster course at Trump National Doral Resort to complete a six-under 66 for a 36-hole total of 10-under 134. Scott is two shots in front of fellow long-hitters Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson. “There is momentum and it’s a huge factor,” Scott told Golf Channel.

Scott, 35, made eight birdies and two bogeys and said he fed off the terrific play of playing partner Johnson. The American posted the low round of day at 64 thanks to a scorching, five-under tour of the back nine. World No 3 McIlroy required only 23 putts in his second-round 65, using 10 fewer putts than on Thursday.

American Phil Mickelson was in the lead at nine-under with four successive birdies from the fifth hole, but he gave those shots back with two bogeys in his final six holes to register a 72 to sit at five-under tied for seventh with England’s Paul Casey. World No 1 Jordan Spieth was tied for 12th at three-under after a 72.