PARKER • Follow Fred Couples around a golf course during a tournament and you’ll undoubtedly hear the same two words spoken over and over by fans in his teeming gallery.

“So smooth.”

The phrase — used partly in reverence, partly in disbelief — describes Couples’ buttery, effortless swing that somehow produces huge drives.

But “so smooth” just as easily could refer to Couples’ demeanor. He doesn’t walk around the golf course as much as he strolls — casually twirling his putter and gazing around the course as if he doesn’t have a care in the world.

Couples didn’t have much to worry about Friday during the second round of the Senior PGA Championship at Colorado Golf Club. He played “great,” he said, making seven birdies on the way to a 4-under-par 68. The day’s best score gave him a two-day total of 7-under 137 and sole possession of the lead at the tournament’s halfway point.

Tom Kite, who fired a second consecutive 69, was a shot behind Couples at 6 under and will join him in today’s final pairing. Tom Lehman is two shots back at 5 under, and 10 others are under par, including Nick Price and first round co-leader Bernhard Langer (3 under), Fred Funk (2 under) and defending champion Michael Allen (1 under).

With the wind that has whipped through the course expected to continue throughout the weekend, those players seem to be in contention as scores could soar.

“The more under you can get the better off, because you’re going to have some stretches out there where you’re going to make some bogeys,” said Couples, who, rating the course, said, “as far as hard, it’s a 10.”

“I’m not really worried about a lead, I’m just wanting to go out (today) and keep playing well and see what happens and then worry about a lead on Sunday on the back nine. If I have one.”

Kite will be a factor if he continues to play as he did Friday. He was dialed in, hitting 13-of-14 fairways and 14-of-18 greens. He made five birdies, including three straight on his second nine — the par-3 second, par-4 third and par-4 fourth — with putts of 3, 4 and 3 feet.

“Very pleased with the way I’m striking the ball,” Kite said.

So is Couples. Given the nickname “Boom Boom” early in his career because of his length off the tee, Couples has feasted on Colorado Golf Club’s four par-5s and its two short par-4s (the 308-yard eighth and 326-yard 14th), playing them in 10-under.

“I think those are the places you have to score,” Couples said.

Couples credited his driving of the ball — he hit 9-of-14 fairways Friday — but also his putting. Couples has needed just 53 putts in his two rounds. His irons have been sharp as well. And even his famously troublesome back has not been too much of a problem. Only the occasional stretch or twist has called attention to it.

“I feel all right,” he said Friday evening when asked about his back. “I’m ready to go back and relax and get ready for (today). … I feel OK.”

So far, so smooth.

Fred Couples follows the flight of his shot off the fifth tee during Friday’s second round. Couple made seven birdies to take a one-shot lead at Colorado Golf Club in Parker. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS