Sydney, Mar 22 - Australian golf ace Adam Scott has shrugged off a sore throat and chest contention to maintain his lead at 6.2 million-dollar Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida after producing yet another masterful display with a four-under-par 68 on the Bay Hill course in Orlando on Friday.

The defending Masters champion, who started the day with a three-shot cushion after an opening 62, more than doubled his advantage to surge to a rare seven-shot lead, equalling the tournament's 36-hole record by Andy Bean and Tom Watson in 1981.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Scott, widely regarded as the best driver in the game, hit only two poor drives all day, at the first and ninth holes, to compile six birdies and two bogeys, including a dropped shot for the second successive day at the par-four 18th.

The report mentioned that Italian Francesco Molinari (70) and Americans J. B. Holmes (69) and Chesson Hadley (68) are in a distant tie for second on seven-under.

Barring a weekend collapse, Scott, who is currently is ranked second behind Tiger Woods, will go into the April 10-13 Masters as the world number one, the report added.
(ANI)