IRVING, Texas — Standing over his ball in a swale behind the 18th green, Jason Dufner would have been content with a par and a spot in the big group tied for the lead in the Byron Nelson Championship.

Instead, Dufner had the lead to himself Friday. He finished by chipping in from 37 feet, his fourth birdie in five holes, after driving wide right and having his approach roll over the green.

“No, that wasn’t in the thought process,” Dufner said. “Pretty lucky for it to go in, but that’s part of golf. Sometimes you get those breaks.”

His second long chip-in wrapped up a 4-under 66 for a two-round total of 7-under 133. That put Dufner a stroke ahead of a group of six players that included Matt Kuchar, the world’s fifth-ranked player who won The Players Championship last week.

Dufner got married the week after his first PGA Tour victory at New Orleans last month, and returned to play last week.

He has the 36-hole lead for the fourth time this season, including the Masters, and the seventh time in his career. The experience of having a victory can provide a different mindset while leading at the halfway point again.