Phil Mickelson and Brian Gay shot to the top of the leaderboard yesterday in the $4 million Compaq Classic in New Orleans.

Mickelson and Gay, who both had six-under-par 66s for the second consecutive day, took advantage of their early starting times in the second round at the English Turn Golf and Country Club course.

They were at 12-under 132 at the halfway point of the tournament, while Harrison Frazar was a stroke back at 11-under following the lowest score of the day - a 65 and a 133 total.

Four others - Keith Clearwater (70), Jerry Kelly (67), Chris Tidland (69) and Brian Wilson (70) - were another two shots back with 9-under 135 totals.

Gay had a chance to take the lead outright, but he bogeyed the par-four finishing hole.

Four birdies on the front nine and an eagle at the par-five 11th hole, where he sank a 25-foot putt, were his highlights.

Mickelson had four birdies and a bogey on his front nine, but his score could have been better if not for an up-and-down back nine. He had three birdies in his first four holes on the back, but sandwiched two bogeys around an eagle at the par-five 15th hole.

First-round leader Paul Stankowski, who carded a course-record 11-under 61 on Thursday, struggled to a six-over 77 and a 138 total after 36 holes. He knocked two balls in the water on the 15th hole, which has an island green, and took a triple-bogey eight.

Another whose luck deserted him was Ireland's Richie Coughlan's who failed to make the cut by a single shot. Coughlan finished with a level par 72 to add to his 71 on Thursday.