BETHESDA, Md. — Hunter Mahan didn’t hit his best chip, only this time it didn’t cost him.

He was short of the 14th green Friday at the AT&T National, 100 feet from the hole just beyond a steep ridge. His caddie told Mahan if he didn’t hit the cup on the way to the hole, it might get a slope on the other side and come back toward the hole. Mahan wanted to chip with just enough pace to get over the ridge and to the hole.

“I hit it a little thin,” he said.

It raced beyond the hole, made a U-turn at the back of the green and nearly went in, settling 2 feet away for an easy par. It wasn’t quite the way he drew it up.

“I expected to hit it a little bit cleaner off the club face,” Mahan said. “But that’s how you shoot 65 — get good breaks like that.”

That really was the only break Mahan received over two superb days on a demanding course like Congressional. The rest has been pure ball-striking, which has carried Mahan to two wins already this year on the PGA Tour and has him on track for another.

He wound up with a 6-under 65 in the stifling heat — with more hot weather on the way — that not only matched the best score of the day, it gave him a two-shot lead going into the weekend at the AT&T National.

Tiger Woods stayed in the game with a 68 in the morning, when it was still so hot that towels were used to wipe sweaty faces more than to clean clubs. He talked about the value of staying fit and strong to survive days like this. He was five shots behind.

Mahan missed only two fairways and three greens. He has countered only three bogeys with 10 birdies, and he still doesn’t know how so many good putts in his opening round stayed out of the hole.