Watson snatches lead at Senior Players
Timonium, MD (Sports Network) - Tom Watson shot two-under 68 to take the second-round lead Friday at the Senior Players Championship.
Watson took control of the fifth and final major of the Champions Tour season with a steady round that included two birdies and 16 pars.
He finished his second trip around Baltimore Country Club at six-under 134 and held a two-shot lead over Jay Haas (70), Craig Stadler (65), Bob Tway (68) and Mark Wiebe (67).
"Good day again," said Watson, who opened with a 66 in Thursday's first round.
And just like that, he's in position for another headline-grabbing weekend.
Making his second start since he turned 60 on Sept. 4, Watson is looking to become the oldest winner in Senior Players Championship history. He is seeking his sixth senior major overall.
"I enjoy competing," said Watson, who lost a playoff to Stewart Cink at the British Open in July while trying to become the oldest major winner in PGA Tour history.
"That's why I'm out here -- to hit the proper shot when the chips are down." Watson, who has dropped just one stroke through 36 holes, came close to making his only bogey Friday at the par-three 11th hole. But he got up-and-down from a bunker to save par.
"I kept it in play off the tee," Watson said, although he struggled to hit 12 of 18 greens in regulation.
Seeking his first win of the season, Watson only needed two birdies to move up from a tie for second place overnight. The first came at the par-four eighth, where he knocked a seven-iron to about a foot and tapped in his putt.
But his biggest shot -- and perhaps luckiest -- came at the par-four 13th, where Watson rolled in a 50-foot birdie putt to reach six-under.
"Nice surprise," Watson, who ranks fourth in putting, said of the long- distance birdie. "I was just trying to get it close and it went in." Although he didn't putt as well as he did Thursday, Watson made key strokes when he needed them. He holed a 10-footer at the 18th to close his round with a nice par save, then said the East Course greens "might be the hardest we have to putt on the Champions Tour." "The [putter] feels good in my hands," said Watson.
The talented trio of Bernhard Langer (65), Loren Roberts (67) and John Cook (68) shared sixth place at three-under 137, while Nick Price (69) led a four- way tie at 138.
D.A. Weibring, the 2008 champion, withdrew after shooting to a four-over 74 on Thursday.
10/02 17:29:05 ET
