Byrd takes three shot lead at Atlanta Classic

ATLANTA (Reuters) - American Jonathan Byrd grabbed a three shot lead over Kenny Perry and Ryan Palmer at the Atlanta Classic on Friday after producing an excellent six-under par round for the second successive day on the TPC Sugarloaf.

Byrd, looking for his fourth career win on the PGA Tour, is 12 under after a round featuring seven birdies including three in a row on holes three to five.

Charles Howell III, David Toms and Parker McLachlin are on eight-under par.

Australian Greg Norman, who designed the course, failed to make the cut despite a one-under round of 71 on Friday. The 53-year-old shot 80 in the rain on Thursday.

The 47-year-old Perry, who was one of five players tied for the lead on six under-par overnight, bogeyed the fourth but also produced four birdies.

Perry has had a grueling 24 hours - his round on Thursday was affected by heavy rain and he was then up early for a 7.20 start, which was delayed by 40 minutes due to rain.

"It was a lot easier to play those early rounds when I was 24 or 25 years old," he said. "The older I've gotten the tougher those early morning rounds are."

Perry had a disappointing final day at the Players tournament last week when he went into the last round a shot off the lead but ended up joint 15th after making an error-ridden 81.

"I played good last week. I just got caught in a situation where it was very difficult on Sunday. We played in 30-mile-an-hour winds on a course that was set up in major championship form. I just didn't handle it very well.

"I take a lot from last week, 81 is disappointing, a terrible round of golf but I knew I was playing well, putting well and that I have to be patient.

"I'm playing a lot better golf."

(Reporting by Simon Evans in Miami; editing by Justin Palmer and Greg Stutchbury)