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Oakville, Ontario • Hunter Mahan birdied the final three holes Friday for an 8-under 64 and a two-stroke lead after the second round of the Canadian Open.

Coming off a ninth-place tie last week in the British Open, the five-time PGA Tour winner had eight birdies in his bogey-free round at Glen Abbey to reach 13-under 131.

"I kind of built off last week," Mahan said. "I got some good things I'm doing with my swing and everything, and feel good about that. I'm just going out there and really trying to trust my game.

"Just allow things to happen and not get in the way of myself and be as present as I can and keep my head up and keep moving forward and just kind of letting my abilities and everything that I'm doing in my game, let it try to come out."

John Merrick was second after a 62. He tied the course record set by Leonard Thompson in 1981 and matched by Andy Bean in 1983 — both when Glen Abbey played to a par of 71 — and Greg Norman in 1986.

Merrick had an eagle and 10 birdies, playing the back nine in 6-under 31.

"It was a great day," Merrick said. "I got off to a good start, hit it over the green on 2 and chipped in for eagle, and that kind of calmed me down. ... I hit it well and made a lot of putts."

He won the Northern Trust Open in February at Riviera for his first PGA Tour title.

"I've had stretches of good play," Merrick said. "You know, it's tough out here. It's competitive. You've got to be on for four days, and I've had some good rounds here and there a couple days, and you just need to put four rounds together out here. My game has been feeling pretty good. Everything kind of clicked today."

Bubba Watson was 9 under after a 67.

"I haven't been in too much trouble," Watson said. "When I hit it in the rough I have a decent lie or miss it in the right spot so I can hit the green in regulation. I missed three greens in two days, so I'm just hitting my irons well, playing smart golf, and then I made a few putts."

Mike Weir, who lives in Sandy, Utah, was the top Canadian, following his opening 73 with a 67 to move into a tie for 26th at 4 under.

Senior British Open

Mark Wiebe of the United States shot a 5-under 65 Friday to share the lead with Bernhard Langer after the second round of the Senior British Open at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Wiebe had four birdies on the back nine. Langer, the 2010 champion at Carnoustie, shot a 67 and made five birdies. Both players finished at 5-under 135.

Web.com Tour

Russell Knox shot the fifth 59 in Web.com Tour history Friday, missing a chance to break the tour record when he parred the final two holes in the second round of the Boise Open.

The 28-year-old Scot had two eagles and eight birdies in his bogey-free round at 6,807-yard, par-71 Hillcrest Country Club. He made a 7-foot par putt on his final hole, the par-4 ninth.