Love, Furyk chasing Atwal at McGladrey Classic

• By Will Gray
• Oct 19, 2012 6:12 PM ET

Serving as tournament host this week at The McGladrey Classic, Davis Love III may find himself a little bit busier over the weekend than he had planned.

Love fired a 4-under 66 Friday and will begin play Saturday in second place at 9 under, tied with Jim Furyk and only one shot behind leader Arjun Atwal. Seeking his first Tour win in nearly four years, he recorded six birdies for the second consecutive round and co-leads the field in birdies through 36 holes.

Entering the week 175th on the official money list, Atwal is in desperate need of a high finish and delivered the round of the day Friday, carding a 7-under 63 to move to the top of the leaderboard at 10 under. A winner two years ago at the Wyndham Championship, Atwal began his 2012 season with seven consecutive missed cuts and finds his 2013 playing status in jeopardy as a result. 

After a season highlighted by near-misses, Furyk is hoping to end his 2012 campaign on a positive note this week on the Seaside Course. He fired a bogey-free 65 Friday and has made only one bogey through his first two rounds, putting him in position for his eighth top-10 finish - and perhaps first victory - of the year.

Following an 8-under 62 Thursday, first round co-leader Bud Cauley managed only a single birdie en route to an even-par 70 Friday. Cauley enters the weekend tied for fourth, two shots behind Atwal as he seeks his first career PGA Tour victory. Joining him in the group at 8 under is David Toms, who carded a 67 Friday and is rumored to be the favorite to succeed Love as U.S. Ryder Cup captain in 2014.

With only two events left in the 2012 season, several names are looking to play their way inside the top 125 on the money list to secure Tour cards for 2013. Among a large group in solid position at 4 under after 36 holes are Gary Christian, Alexandre Rocha and Bill Lunde, who began the week ranked 127th, 128th and 132nd, respectively, on the money list. Meanwhile, Chez Reavie (No. 130) and Bobby Gates (No. 137) both missed the cut and will be in need of a high finish at Disney in order to retain full-time playing status for the next year.