PARAMUS, N.J. – Jason Day can’t get a straight answer from doctors on the mysterious health issues sapping away at his energy. He at least knows exactly where he stands after two rounds of The Barclays.

A tournament that once looked as though it might belong to Tiger Woods shifted late Friday to the hands of the 22-year-old Australian, who showed some of his great promise with three late birdies for a 4-under 67 and a one-shot lead.

Nine players had at least a share of the lead at some point during the second round until Day’s late surge. He was at 8-under 134, one shot clear of Kevin Streelman (63) and Vaughn Taylor (70) going into the weekend of the FedEx Cup’s first playoff event.

“I just tried to stay as patient as possible, and it just kind of fell in my lap, which was really good,” he said.

Woods didn’t so much lose his patience as much as his putting stroke. Part of that was playing in the afternoon on greens that became bumpy under foot traffic and a day of blazing sun, as Woods expected.

He wasn’t planning on missing a 20-inch par putt on the fifth hole, or failing to make a single birdie on the easier front nine.

“I didn’t hit it bad at all,” Woods said. “I hit it really good. As I said, I didn’t putt really well. I hit it as good as I did yesterday. If I don’t make putts, I don’t score.”

He wound up with a 73, eight shots worse than his opening round.

The good news for the world’s No. 1 player – he will stay atop the world ranking for at least another week after Phil Mickelson (3-over 74) missed the cut by four strokes, and he’s still very much in contention.

He still was only four shots behind, and at least takes this with him into the weekend: He has missed only two fairways in two rounds, although he never hit driver one time in the second round.

“You play around here and post good numbers, you’ll move up the board,” he said. “The guys aren’t going to be tearing this place apart.”

Streelman sure did.

Two years after narrowly missing a playoff at Ridgewood Country Club, Streelman ran off six birdies in a seven-hole stretch for a 63 that will put him in the final group today. Clearly, this is no ordinary place for him. Streelman’s grandparents are buried in a cemetery beyond the seventh hole. His parents live in the area. These are his roots.

“It’s like a special home for me, a special place,” he said.

Stewart Cink raised his Ryder Cup hopes with a 69 that put him in a group at 6-under 136 with Ryder Cup hopeful Stewart Cink (69), Martin Laird (67) and John Senden, who reached 9 under until he stumbled badly down the stretch, taking a double bogey from the shrubs on the 16th. Senden shot 69.

It was a great start for Laird and Senden – and yes, even Woods – as it relates to the FedEx Cup. Laird and Senden were just inside the top 100 in the standings, knowing that only the top 100 advance to the second round next week outside Boston.

Woods, at No. 112, is virtually assured of making it through to next week.

Also at stake this week is the Ryder Cup, at least in auditioning for the European and U.S. teams. Padraig Harrington of Ireland has to rely on a captain’s pick, and he shot 68 to join the group at 5-under 137 that includes Adam Scott and Ben Crane.

Europe’s team – including the three picks – will be decided Sunday.

Woods wants to play on the U.S. Ryder Cup team as a captain’s pick – the American selections won’t be announced until Sept. 7 – and the desire alone makes him a worthy candidate. His game is starting to show plenty of promise, too.

LPGA: Michelle Wie remains in the lead at the CN Canadian Women’s Open after shooting a 3-under 69 in the second round in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

She is at 10-under overall after opening the tournament with a round of 65 that included a hole-in-one. Wie’s only career victory came last November at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

Jiyai Shin is second at 7 under. Morgan Pressel shot a 66 and is tied for third with defending champion Suzann Pettersen at 6 under.

Former Fort Wayne resident Amanda Blumenherst shot a 7-over 79 and missed the cut with a two-day total of 12-over 156.

CHAMPIONS: Nick Price birdied five of his last seven holes and surged into the lead with a 9-under 63 in the first round of the Boeing Classic in Snoqualmie, Wash.

Tom Pernice Jr. had a pair of eagles and is two shots back after a 64, and Hal Sutton and Bernhard Langer each shot 66.

U.S. AMATEUR: Defending champion Byeong-Hun An, top-ranked American amateur Peter Uihlein, Stanford’s David Chung and UCLA freshman Patrick Cantlay advanced to the semifinals at University Place, Wash.

All four quarterfinals made it to the 18th hole. And Cantlay needed 20 holes to beat Jed Dirksen .