Blanchard overtakes Deraney for 2nd-round Carlton Woods lead

In the second round of the Carlton Woods Invitational, Brian Blanchard fired a 3-under 69 to leap-frog first-round leader and defending champion Joseph Deraney. Blanchard now leads by one shot after 36 holes at the Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas.

Blanchard, of Scottsdale, Ariz., finished T-8 at this event last year. After two rounds this year, he is at 3-under 141. Crucial in his 3-under 69 were three birdies in his opening eight holes. With a birdie at No. 17, Blanchard took the lead.

As for Deraney, the 35-year-old Belden, Miss., resident is coming off a T-27 at Seminole Golf Club during last week’s prestigious George L. Coleman Invitational. He stumbled to the finish on Wednesday, however, with bogeys at two of his final three holes.

Dan Crockett of Franklin, Tenn., will round out the final group on Thursday after making five second-round birdies for his 70. Crockett is a player to watch as he has made 10 birdies over the first two rounds and is only two shots off the pace.

In the senior division, Kip Estep of Rockwall, Texas cruised to a 3-under 69 and currently sits atop the leaderboard tied with Larry Nunez of Austin, Texas. Both are 2 over so far. Thomas Immenschuh of San Antonio, Texas and first-round leader Lewis Stephenson of Mansfield, Texas are two shots back.