First cut is the sweetest as Rich Beem finds form to take share of the lead in Texas

Rich Beem finally made his first cut of the year at the Valero Texas Open and did so in some style as he took a share of the lead into the weekend.

On a blustery day when low scores were hard to come by, Beem carded a two-under round of 70 to sit three under overall. He had plenty of company, though, with six other players alongside him at the same mark.

The most disappointed of those was Brendan Steele, who had a two-stroke lead at one stage before a double bogey at the par-four 15th dropped him back into the pack.

Also three under were Kevin Sutherland, Brandt Snedeker, Charley Hoffman, Kevin Chappell and Australia's Geoff Ogilvy, the only non-American of the seven.

Unlike most of the this season, which has seen Beem miss six cuts without making one, there were few dramas for the 40-year-old as he carded three birdies against one bogey.

"I am not feeling bad which has been quite the opposite of lately," said Beem. "I feel pretty good out there, able to kind of keep my focus out there, which has been pretty helpful, but with these conditions it ain't fun."

Beem revealed half an hour spent with his coach had been the key to his upturn in fortunes. "He kind of got me thinking about something a little bit different with my golf swing," Beem said. "I was trying to take it too far inside. Other than that, I haven't really seen him at all this year. Just kind of grinding away, hitting a lot of golf balls, you know, get on the driving range and hammering golf ball after golf ball. It's finally paying off."

So tightly packed is the leaderboard that there are 16 players within two strokes of each other at the top of it. Defending champion Adam Scott leads a quartet of players on two under, which also includes Americans Cameron Tringale, Matt Every and Dean Wilson.

Scott said the conditions and tough pin positions made the course unrecognisable from the previous day.

Overnight leaders Stewart Cink and JJ Henry both hit 78s today to sit one over. Scotland's Martin Laird was the leading European on two over, with the cut set at four over.

Kevin Na had another tough round, though he was able to exorcise some demons from the previous day. Having carded a duodecuple bogey 16 on the ninth last time around, a PGA Tour record for a par-four hole, he took a par yesterday in a round of 77.