Els shares lead after taking the plunge to beat bogey

ERNIE Els got his feet wet on Friday to continue his run of impressive pre-Masters form by grabbing a share of the second round lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The South African's solid three under-par round of 69 at Bay Hill was enough to move him in a tie for the lead on seven-under with American trio DJ Trahan, Ben Curtis and Davis Love III.

It could have been very different for Els if he had not made a remarkable recovery from a water hazard on the sixth.

Having just three-putted on the fifth for his second bogey, Els drove into water to the left of the fairway on the sixth.

He then took his shoes and socks off to play out of the shallow water. "That was a big break because if the ball was another yard left it would have been into the deep end," he said. "But I could play it and I chipped out of the water, played a four iron just right of the green and I was up and down for par. I was a yard away from probably not being in the tournament anymore because that would have been a sure double-bogey and I would be back to even-par and in a battle to make the cut."

The leaders are just a stroke ahead of Els' compatriot Retief Goosen, world No.3 Phil Mickelson and American Kevin Na.

Scots Colin Montgomerie and Martin Laird both hit 71s to make the cut, Montgomerie going into the third round on 1-under 143 with Laird two strokes behind.