TULSA, Okla. – I’ve always had a soft spot for Stephen Ames, who is technically a Canadian, but in fact was born in Trinidad, where I too used to live.

Ames has grabbed the lead about midway through Friday’’s second round here at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills.

Ames started off with a birdie, but bogeyed No. 3, a 451-yard par-4 dogleg left that features one of the toughest greens on the course, but came back two holes later to birdie No. 5, a gargantuan, 653-yard par-5.

He then bogeyed No. 6, but has come back nicely with two straight birdies on Nos. 13 and 14, which has a green surrounded by six bunkers.

He hasn’t won this year, and has three top-10 finishes.

Whoops! As I took short break from this blog to watch live action on the course, Scott Verplank birdied No. 17 to take a share of the lead with Ames, who parred 15 and 16.

The action is coming fast and furious!

Read full, live and complete coverage at worldgolf.com.