Rockport, ME-Two of New England's most accomplished professionals overcame swirling winds and share the lead after two rounds of the Samoset Open. Their likely successor lurks immediately behind them. First round co-leader Rick Karbowski held his position with an even par 70 on day two while three-time Tour player of the year Geoff Sisk joined him at 4-under with a methodical 2-under 68. Rob Oppenheim, the heir to Sisk's Tour throne, followed his first round 66 with a 71 and sits one shot back.

Karbowski's second round at Samoset ended identically as his first: with a surprise save on no. 18, the Tour's most difficult hole this season. Thursday produced a miraculous up and down for par from 145 yards. This time, it was a 5-iron from 35-feet for birdie.

He holds the 36-hole lead for the first time in seven events on Tour. And the Tour's most prolific star (Sisk) and current CGT money leader (Oppenheim) are breathing down his neck. Not that Karbowski is going to worry about that, though.

I'm going to do the same thing I do all the time," said Karbowski, a two-time New England Open champion, of his plans for the night. "Grab a bite to eat, have a beer or two and go watch the Red Sox game."

On a course that has yielded birdies sparingly and bogeys readily, it should come as little surprise that Geoff Sisk, with four U.S. Open appearances, is the only player in the field of 100 without a bogey.

"Par is a great score," said Sisk, who finished 40th in last year's U.S. Open in between three CGT victories. "The wind was playing havoc. I hit solid shots and controlled the golf ball."

Despite recording top 10s in the first seven events, Saturday's round will mark his first appearance in the final pairing since his last victory on Tour, which, oddly enough, came at Samoset 12 months ago.

Oppenheim's one stroke deficit is his smallest 36-hole margin since he held the lead in the season-opening Atkinson Open three months ago. He holds a slim 244 point lead over Sisk in the race for the $4,500 PGA TOUR Qualifying School tuition.

Samoset's Jeff Seavey is even, thanks in no part to no. 18, which he has played 3-over.

Forty-four players survived Friday's 36-hole cut of 6-over-par 146. This week's purse of $86,400 includes a $13,000 winner's share. Saturday's tee times begin at 7:30 a.m.