Nationwide Tour: Two tied for the Lead as Chopra sets Course Record

The Nationwide Tour Championship is the final event for players to earn their spot inside the illusive top-25, to secure their PGA Tour cards for 2012.

With only 60 players competing this week in the no-cut event, pardon the expression, but every shot really does count for all of these players this week.

Daniel Chopra is one of those players that is looking to secure his PGA Tour card, to get back to the big stage full time, after losing his card last season.

The 37-year old Sweden native, started out the event with an Even par round of 72 in round one.

Sitting 24th on the Nationwide Tour money list, Chopra needed a low round to get himself in a better position heading into the weekend.

The 2-time PGA Tour winner went out and broke the course record firing a 10-under par, 62 [view scorecard] to jump into a tie for the lead with Jason Kokrak.

Chopra began his round by birding the first six holes to really grab everyone's attention around the course.

“The first six holes I just played flawlessly,” he said after his magnificent round. “Pretty much every shot was just about perfect. When I missed it a little bit, I missed it in the right spot."

“Then all of a sudden we get some tougher holes."

Chopra, referring to hole No. 9 through 14 where he fell off of his birdie barrage, parring that six hole stretch.

“I was like ‘Hey okay, you got away with that. Now step up there and trust yourself and play the fearless golf that you always play.”

He would then find his rhythm once again and close out with birdies on three of his last four holes to card the course record of 62.

Sitting just one position off the 'bubble spot', Chopra knows this round gets him right back where he needs to be heading into the final two rounds.

“It’s a step in the right direction. It makes whatever my work has to be done over the next two days that much easier.”

“I would love to be in the position where I don’t have to think about that. Trying to win a golf tournament is going to seem easy in comparison."

He now finds himself tied atop the leader board with Kokrak at -10.

Two strokes better than Roberto Castro and three better than Danny Lee, Greg Owen and Camilo Benedetti.

Chopra knows all too well what is at stake this weekend in Daniels Island, South Carolina. He now has himself positioned for success.

We will have to wait and see if he and others can find the magic and contain it to secure their PGA Tour cards for 2012.