BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — J.B. Holmes always knew he could hit the golf ball a long way.

He made his high school team in Kentucky when he was in the third grade. He was hitting 300-yard tee shots at age 13, and when he went to the Masters in 1998 as a senior in high school to watch Tiger Woods for the first time, it wasn't the least bit overwhelming.

"I realized the pros don't hit it any further than I do," Holmes said.

His monster length proved to be more than enough for Oakland Hills yesterday.

With a black glove on his hand and a scowl on his face, Holmes hammered one tee shot after another — one of them he estimated at about 400 yards — and kept most of them in the short grass, leading to a 2-under 68 for a one-shot lead in the PGA Championship.

Holmes was at 1-under 139, the only player to break par over two rounds on a course known as "The Monster." It was the first time since 1972 — at Oakland Hills, not so coincidentally — that only one player was under par through 36 holes of the PGA Championship.

"When I hit my driver like I did today, this is an easy sport," Holmes said.

It sure didn't feel easy to anyone else.

Sergio Garcia four-putted the 17th green late in the second round just as he was trying to catch Holmes, and instead dropped to a 73 and was three shots behind. Phil Mickelson struggled with a few bad drives, a few poor chips and not many putts, making three bogeys over the final five holes for a 73 that left him four shots behind.

Colin Montgomerie found nothing easy about Oakland Hills. He had to play his best golf over the closing holes to avoid his worst score as a professional, salvaging an 84 to match his worst score ever in a major.

The final major is so hard that Garcia predicted no one would be under par when it was time to hoist the trophy.

"I don't think it's going to be won by 1 under par," Garcia said. "I just need to make sure that I stay around where I am and maybe a little closer to par. That's going to have a chance on Sunday."

Ben Curtis shot a 67, matching Justin Rose with the best score of the tournament and leaving both of them one shot behind at even-par 140.

They were joined by Charlie Wi, a 36-year-old who has played on just about every tour, but never in a major championship until this week. He made his debut with back-to-back 70s and will play in the final group today with Holmes.

Kane'ohe's Dean Wilson made the cut with consecutive 73s for a 6-over 146. Honolulu's Parker McLachlin missed the cut by five strokes after shooting 76-77 for 153.