Overnight joint leader Jeev Milkha Singh could not recreate the opening round magic and turned in a one-under 71 to slip to the tied eighth spot after the halfway stage of the US$ 8.5 million World Golf Championships in Doral.

Jeev, who outshone mega stars like Tiger Woods with an opening round 65, faltered on a treacherous back nine and was five strokes off the pace after two days with a total of eight-under 136.

The Chandigarh-pro shares the eighth spot with, among others, England's Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter (67).

Off to a brilliant birdie-birdie start, Jeev completed a flaw-less front nine after picking up another stroke on the eighth to make the turn three-under.

The back-nine started equally well for the Indian as he reeled off birdies on the 10th and 12th but it all went downhill thereafter as he stumbled to back-to-back bogeys on the 13th and 14th.

Had it not been for a 16th-hole birdie, Jeev would have failed to break par as he had a disastrous bogey-double bogey end to his day at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa.

At the top, American Phil Mickelson grabbed a two-stroke lead after a second-round 66 that left his total at 13-under 133.

Nick Watney (67) held the sole second spot, followed by Kenny Perry (64), Rory McIlroy (66) a stroke behind.