STEVE STRICKER stormed home with four birdies and an eagle in the final five holes to grab a share of the second round lead at the $2 million Motorola Western Open in Lemont, Illinois yesterday.

Stricker was struggling with his game beforehand, but he turned things around to card a three under par 69 to join fellow American Jay Don Blake (67) at 10 under 134, one stroke ahead of former US Open champion Lee Janzen (68).

The cut fell at one under 143, and the casualties included Nick Faldo and Greg Norman, arguably the world's top two players.

Faldo was cruising until he astonishingly double bogeyed the final two holes to miss the cut by a shot after a 73. He would not talk about his inelegant exit.

Norman came undone at his penultimate hole, the par four eighth, where he had a quadruple bogey on his way to a three over 75.

"I'm just going through a bad patch. Hopefully things will turn around soon," said Norman, who bowed out at two over 146.