Justin Leonard hits his approach shot on the par-4 17th. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        DUBLIN, Ohio — Justin Leonard and Harrison Frazar, buddies and former college roommates at Texas, have each experienced career-changing events on this Muirfield Village course. Today, and possibly Sunday, they could have more memorable moments with the Memorial at stake.

        “We're always pulling for each other,” Frazar said. “But at the same time, we want to beat each other's brains out.”

        Leonard leads at the midway point of this tournament with a 10-under-par 134. Frazar is second at 9-under. Both shot 7-under 65s Friday. The duo, who have had differing degrees of pro success, can trace their results to tourneys that involved Tiger Woods.

        Leonard won the U.S. Amateur on this course in 1992, defeating Woods in the second round of match play, and that event kick-started a career in which he has finished every year in the money list's top 25. (He also finished second to Woods in the 2000 Memorial.)

        Frazar was second in the Memorial after two rounds in 2000, a stroke back of Woods, when he suffered a third-round meltdown playing with Woods that Frazar said caused him mental anguish and derailed his game for a year.

        “It was the most humbling thing I've ever gone through,” Frazar said. “I let it alter the way I felt about myself and my game.”

        Speaking of Woods, the three-time defending champ stands at even par after shooting 2-under 70 Friday. He had to rally with a birdie on No.18 before he was certain he'd made the cut in his 88th consecutive tournament — extending the third-longest streak in history.

        Woods is tied for 47th place, 10 strokes off the pace.

        “You can make that up,” Woods said. “I need to shoot something in the mid-60s tomorrow ... and get myself up there where I have a chance on Sunday.”

        A group of three golfers with strong histories here are at 8-under: 1997 Memorial champ Vijay Singh, 1989 winner Bob Tway and 2001 fourth-place finisher Stewart Cink. Five golfers are at 5-under.

        The Leonard-Frazar angle is unique. The golfers travel together, share feedback and advice, and root for each other on the leaderboard. Their wives hang out together.

        Yet their careers have taken different tacks. Leonard has been a British Open champ and Ryder Cup hero. Frazar left golf to work in real estate for a year, has never won an event and struggled recently after hip surgery. He had missed the cut in five of his previous six events.

        In that fateful third round here two years ago, Woods shot 65 and Frazar 78.

        “With the big crowds and it being on TV, that was a humbling experience,” Frazar said. “I felt I needed some time away after that. When I came back, I tried to put on a front and act like nothing was wrong, but I wasn't the same the rest of that year.”

        Frazar said he is now more mentally ready for late-tournament pressure.

        As for Woods, he was better off the tee Friday. He hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation, seven more than he did Thursday, but he missed numerous birdie putts.

        Woods has missed the cut in only one event in his career, the 1997 Bell Canadian Open.

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