C.T. Pan and Aaron Rai navigated challenging, gusty conditions to post eight-under-par 63s, sharing the lead at 14-under 128 after the second round of the PGA Tour John Deere Classic in Illinois.

They hold a one-shot lead over England's Harry Hall, who carded five birdies in a five-under 66 for a total of 129. Hayden Springer, who made headlines with a spectacular 59 on Thursday, shot an even-par 71 and is among six players tied for fourth at 12-under 130.

Pan, preparing for the Paris Olympics where he hopes to improve on his bronze medal from Tokyo, was thrilled with his bogey-free round, particularly his chip-in eagle at the 14th. "I'm actually impressed by myself," Pan said, emphasizing the difficulty of playing in 15-20 mph winds that required adjustments in club selection and shot strategy. Pan, whose only PGA Tour win was at the 2019 RBC Heritage, seeks a solid performance to boost his confidence heading into the Olympics.

Rai matched Pan’s eight-birdie round, including a notable long putt on the 15th hole. "Definitely tougher today," Rai commented, noting the crosswinds and stronger gusts compared to the previous day. Rai, who contended in Detroit last week but couldn't secure a win, feels the experience bolstered his confidence.

Springer momentarily regained the solo lead with three birdies, including a bunker hole-out at the second. However, he faltered with bogeys at the third and fourth, and a double-bogey at the sixth, finishing tied with Eric Cole, Davis Thompson, Denny McCarthy, Im Sung-jae, and amateur Luke Clanton. "I hit some bumps on the back nine, but more just mental errors and not making those short putts," Springer reflected, acknowledging the difficulty of maintaining such low scores consecutively.

As the weekend approaches, the competition intensifies with Pan, Rai, and Hall leading a tightly packed field, all aiming for victory at the John Deere Classic.