Greensboro, NC -- (Sports Network) - Carl Pettersson fired a nine-under 61 on Friday to move atop the leaderboard at the midway point of the Wyndham Championship.

Pettersson finished two rounds at 15-under 125, which matched the PGA Tour's record for lowest opening 36 holes. Tiger Woods, Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Lehman and Corey Pavin all posted 125s on tour.

The total easily established a new tournament record. Fellow Swede Jesper Parnevik had the former 36-hole mark of 128 en route to victory in 1999.

"I got off to such a good start," said Pettersson. "I birdied the first three. As soon as I did that my mind kind of set in and played nice all day, made a lot of putts, hit it close."

Garrett Willis posted his second round of six-under 64 and is in second place at minus-12. Scott McCarron also carded a 64 on Friday and is third at 11- under 129.

Kevin Streelman shot a six-under 64 and is fourth at minus-10.

Pettersson wasted little time in getting into red figures. At the first, Pettersson hit a seven-iron to 10 feet to set up birdie. He kicked in a short birdie putt at two and made it three in a row thanks to a beautiful six-iron tee ball to 10 feet at the par-three third.

The Swede reached the green in two with a seven-iron at the par-five fifth. He two-putted for a birdie from 25 feet, then missed the green at the par-three seventh. Pettersson chipped to 20 feet, but his par putt stayed above ground.

Pettersson atoned for the error with back-to-back birdies from the eighth. At eight, he knocked his approach to a foot, while on nine he rolled in a 25- footer.

At the par-four 11th, Pettersson drained a 10-foot birdie putt and was 12- under par for the championship.

Pettersson hit another close approach at 13. He tapped in for birdie and made it two in a row with a 10-foot birdie putt at the 14th.

It was at this point that thoughts of the magical 59 crept in Pettersson's head.

"I just had a brief moment thinking about it, but then I was kind of laughing at myself," said Pettersson. "On the 15th tee and I decided to bogey the hole."

Pettersson's second at the par-five hole ran long and right. He chunked his chip, instead landing in a bunker. Pettersson could not get up and down and made bogey.

He rebounded from the miscue at 15 with a 30-footer for birdie at the very next hole. Pettersson once again racked up back-to-back birdies when his sand- wedge approach at 17 stopped less than a foot from the hole.

Pettersson needed eagle at the last to shoot 59. It never came close to happening. His approach landed 36 feet from the flagstick and he two-putted for a closing par.

"Overall, it was good, finished the round off good with birdies on 16 and 17 and made a nice four on the last," said Pettersson, who attended North Carolina State.

Willis and McCarron are battling to make their way into the FedEx Cup playoffs. Willis needs a big week as he is 213th in the standings and only the top 144 on the points list make the playoffs.

McCarron is on the bubble as he stands 139th currently. Both are on pace to make the playoffs, but Willis needs to finish no worse than solo third to get into the playoffs.

The cut line was three-under-par 137 and 78 players moved on to the weekend. Among those who made the cut on the number and need a big weekend to make the FedEx Cup playoffs are former PGA Champion Rich Beem (166th on FedEx points list), two-time major champion John Daly (235th), Nick Flanagan (160th) and Doug LaBelle II (170th).

Also making the cut in the number was first-round co-leader Martin Laird, who stumbled to a four-over 74 Friday.

Among those missing the cut was Tag Ridings, who fired a 64 to finish at two- under 138. He is 140th on the FedEx points list and has to hope he doesn't get bumped from the playoffs.

Also missing the weekend and the FedEx Cup playoffs were Chris Riley (138), Olin Browne (138), Will Mackenzie (141) and former Masters champion Larry Mize (143).