JEFF MAGGERT broke out of his mini-slump yesterday with birdies on the final four holes to share the halfway lead at the $1.2 million Bay Hill Invitational tournament in Orlando, Florida.

Maggert fired a seven-under-par 65 - the day's lowest round - for a seven-under 137 total and a tie for the 36-hole lead with Pat Burke, who shot a 66.

Maggert also led after the second round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in January. That event was cancelled because of bad weather, and he missed the cut in the next three tournaments.

The perfect conditions did little to help many of the prominent players, several of whom missed the cut which fell at two-over 146.

The most notable casualty was Greg Norman, who dropped six strokes in the final four holes for a four-over 76. He finished at four-over 148 to miss a cut on the PGA Tour for the first time since the 1993 US Open.