Long-shot Beem fires 66 to tie for lead

Rich Beem and Mike Weir climbed into a share of the lead with Aaron Baddeley.

NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh delivered the kind of golf everyone expected.

Mike Weir and Rich Beem played the golf they badly needed.

Woods and Mickelson traded torrid stretches of birdies and eagles Saturday morning on the TPC Boston, each posting a 7-under 64 that thrust them into contention in the Deutsche Bank Championship.

They were the best two scores on a tricky day of swirling wind, but not the most significant.

Those belonged to Weir (68) and Beem (66), and not just because they moved into a share of the 36-hole lead with Aaron Baddeley in the second week of the PGA Tour Playoffs.

Beem is the longest of long shots in this FedEx Cup finale, who narrowly avoided elimination last week at Westchester with a tie for seventh. It isn’t getting any easier outside Boston, where anything lower than second place will send him home.

Strong birdie finish

He waited until these playoffs to play his best golf of the year, and he waited until the end of the second round Saturday to change his fortunes.

Beem birdied his last four holes and shared the lead at 9-under 133.

The former PGA champion is slowly becoming the symbol that everyone can dream of the $10 million prize for the FedEx Cup.

“Of all the things I could be the poster child for, this is not the one that I would have picked,” said Beem, who went from 134th to 113th in the standings last week, crucial because only the top 120 player qualified for Boston.

“It’s kind of crazy how it’s all coming together, but I sure am having fun. This is certainly interesting. I’ve just got to keep trying to make some putts, and who knows?”

Needs to be in top five

Weir needs to finish in the top five to have any chance of moving into the top 70 in the playoff standings and advance to the BMW Championship outside Chicago.

This is the first time since a year ago at Pebble Beach that Weir has been atop the leader board through 36 holes, and the Canadian has gone three years without winning.

That weighs more on him than the FedEx Cup.

“I just want to play well for myself,” Weir said.

“It’s been a while since I’ve hoisted a trophy, and more than anything, that’s what I’m concerned about. That would get me into next week.”