Photos by ERIC BRADY The Roanoke Times

Jeff Overton, the overall leader after two rounds of The Greenbrier Classic, makes his seventh birdie of the day Friday on hole No. 17.

Jimmy Walker, who is tied for third at 9-under par-131, shoots out of a sand trap on hole No. 17.

Brendon de Jonge, a former Virginia Tech standout, shot a 68 in Friday's second round of The Greenbrier Classic on the Old White Course. He is tied for ninth place.

ERIC BRADY The Roanoke Times

Jeff Overton is the leader after two rounds of The Greenbrier Classic. Overton shot a 62 on Friday.

Second-round scores

The Old White Course White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. (Purse: $6 million; yards: 7,031; par: 70)

Jeff Overton 64-62 -- 126

Boo Weekley 67-63 -- 130

Jimmy Walker 67-64 -- 131

Erik Compton 63-68 -- 131

Aaron Baddeley 67-65 -- 132

Briny Baird 67-65 -- 132

Chris Stroud 69-63 -- 132

C. Howell III 65-67 -- 132

Others of note

Jim Furyk 68-65 -- 133

Brendon de Jonge 65-68 -- 133

Davis Love III 68-66 -- 134

Sergio Garcia 68-67 -- 135

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- Almost heaven.

So far, that must be Jeff Overton's take on his first trip to The Greenbrier Resort.

Continuing his recent tear on the PGA Tour, the lanky Indiana native torched The Old White Course with a career-best 8-under-par 62 to build a four-shot cushion at the halfway mark of The Greenbrier Classic.

Overton, who was one shot back after a first-round 64, stands at 14-under 126 through 36 holes. The total matches the lowest 36-hole total on tour this season.

''[Today] is going to be the key round,'' said Overton, who has never won in 127 tour starts. ''If we can go out and have another good, solid round ... three in a row, it's hard.''

The 27-year-old Indiana University graduate has been the hottest player on tour since May. Overton has four top-10 finishes in his past nine starts.

"I'm playing really well,'' he said. "Don't really know when the last time I was playing with this much confidence. I'm also feeling very comfortable.''

No kidding. The benign Old White has been child's play to the strapping 6-foot-4 long bomber. He never used more than a wedge into any of the course's 12 par-4s on Friday, and made eight birdies and no bogeys. He attempted only 26 putts.

Now, Overton needs a victory to validate his run. He's 0-for-127 in his 4¹₂ years on tour.

How anxious is he to win?

"You know, I would love to win a golf tournament, especially out here,'' he said. "It's been a while. You just never know when it's your time. You just got to continue to play every shot, take it for what it's worth, and live in the moment."

Boo Weekley, a huge fan favorite here, posted a 63 earlier in the day. He will head into today's third round as Overton's closest pursuer.

Weekley has enjoyed success in the Mountaineer State in the past, finishing second in the Pete Dye Classic Nationwide Tour event in 2006 at Bridgeport, W.Va.

Weekley hasn't won since successfully defending his title at the 2008 Verizon Heritage in Hilton Head, S.C.

"It would be nice,'' Weekley said. "You know, if my stars line up, it would be great to have a win and say, 'Hey, this is my third [career win].' This is an awesome place to have it. ''

When asked if he has a number in his head about to how low he will have to go to win here this weekend, Weekley shook his head and supplied the kind of answer that only he can.

"Only number I got is the first hole, No. 1," Weekley replied.

"That's just to go out and play. That's where I start at. If it pans out where I win, I win.

''You know, it ain't life or death. They can't kill and eat you out here.''

Weekley, 37, said he has started to play better after losing 20 pounds resulting from a torn left labrum he sustained 15 months ago.

''Now it feels like I can actually come out and compete and don't have to take a bunch of Advil or nothing where I can play,'' he said. "It's been aggravated like a thorn in me, you know."

Weekley shot some birdies Friday, dropping seven with nary a bogey.

First-round leader Erik Compton shot 68 to fall into a third-place tie with Jimmy Walker (64) at 131.

Compton had trouble getting putts to fall in the beat-up greens in the afternoon.

"I'm a little sour ... three birdies out here is unacceptable. I'm in good shape for the tournament,'' said Compton, a double-heart transplant whose highest finish on tour is 30th.

Brendon de Jonge would have been tied for third. However, the former Virginia Tech standout bogeyed his final two holes and settled for a 68 that left him tied for ninth, seven shots back.