Arizona's Ted Purdy called it the most difficult course he's played, but regardless, he's the co-leader after two rounds of the PING Arizona Intercollegiate at the Raven Golf Course at Sabino Springs.

Raven is a 6,851-yard, par-71 course that opened late last year.

Purdy and co-leader Birk Nelson of Oregon State were studies in contrast yesterday as they both ended with 7-under par 135s. Purdy fired a first round 69 while Nelson ended with a 66. Roles were reversed in the second round with Purdy scoring the 66 and Nelson the 69.

"It is a really difficult course but it is also fair," Purdy said. "There is a lot of desert out there but the course has lay-up places around the hazards and there is plenty of fairway to hit into."

"He had a first round that he could have let get away from him but he hung in there and got a good score," Arizona head coach Rick LaRose said of Purdy, a senior.

The other three players in Purdy's foursome - Stanford's Tiger Woods, Texas' Jeff Fahrenbruch and Pacific's Sean Corte-Real - are in a three-way tie for third just two strokes off the pace.

"It's always a pleasure playing with Tiger, I have been playing with him for years. He is a great competitor and player," Purdy said.

Other Arizona scores include Andy Barnes, whose 141 puts him in a five-golfer traffic jam in 11th place. Rory Sabbatini shot rounds of 71 and 73 and finds himself in a four-way tie for 20th heading into today's final round. Gary Matthews' second-round 69 was overshadowed by his first round 77, but LaRose was not worried, saying "he played a lot better than his score."

Matthews' score puts him in a five-way tie for 30th, while Matt Bergstrom's 147 was good enough for 35th.

Arizona is in control of the team race as well. A 36-hole score of 583 puts the Wildcats six strokes ahead of Stanford. Pacifc (571), Texas (572) and Arizona State (576) round out the top five.

"I am very pleased. They played hard," LaRose said. "It'll be tough tomorrow, there are some good teams there and they're capable of playing some good rounds."

Tulsa sits in sixth place, a stroke behind the Sun Devils. Teams seven through ten are all within six strokes of each other - Southern Cal (581), Fresno State (583), New Mexico State (585) and Georgia Tech (587). Rounding out the field are Oregon State (588), Houston (593), New Mexico (596), Colorado (609) and Arizona Blue (609).

Tournament play with conclude with 18 holes today. The teams will tee-off at 8 a.m.