Flores moves in front at News Sentinel Open

Web.com Tour rookie Erik Flores fired a 6- under 65 on Friday to take the lead at the midway point of the News Sentinel Open.

Flores finished 36 holes at 11-under 131 and is two strokes clear at Fox Den Country Club.

Mathias Gronberg (64), Hudson Swafford (66) and Darron Stiles (66) share second at 9-under par.

First-round leader Casey Wittenberg, who is second on the tour's money list and with another victory would earn an automatic promotion to the PGA Tour, struggled to a 1-over 72 and fell into a tie for 12th at 7-under par.

Flores started on the 10th tee Friday and birdied his first hole. He added birdies at 15 and 18 to make the turn at 8-under par for the championship.

On his second nine, Flores didn't do anything flashy. Once again, he made three birdies and that was enough for the second-round lead.

"To me driving accuracy has been the key this week and my irons are on," said the 25-year-old. "I was in a really good position off all the tees. So with wedges in your hand you pretty much fire at every flag."

Flores has zero top 10s in his rookie campaign and missed the cut last week at the Midwest Classic. He actually thought the weekend off was a positive.

"Missing the cut last week was really good from the standpoint that it allowed me to take a couple of days off," said Flores. "And I just know it's going to click, the ball striking and the putting have not come on at the same time. Those aspects of my game are strong; it's just that when they are going together they are a lot better."

Shane Bertsch (68), Adam Hadwin (66), Kevin Foley (69), Neal Lancaster (66), James Sacheck (65), Patrick Sheehan (69) and Will MacKenzie (69) share fifth place at 8-under-par 134.

NOTES: Two-time major winners John Daly (6-under) and Lee Janzen (5-under) made the cut...The cut fell at 3-under par with Luke List, the leading money winner this season on the Web.com Tour missing the weekend...Brad Adamonis withdrew after four holes on Friday.