Watson Open to Another Major Victory

By Sports Network

KETTERING, Ohio -- Tom Watson, last week's Senior British Open winner, fired a 6-under 65 on Friday to grab a piece of the second-round lead of the U.S. Senior Open.
 
First-round leader Craig Stadler shot a 2-under 69 and Loren Roberts, who made his Champions Tour debut last week at Royal Aberdeen, carded a 4-under 67 to match Watson at 9-under-par 133 at NCR Country Club.
 

The trio tied the 36-hole record for this tournament. Dave Stockton established the mark originally in 1992 at Saucon Valley Country Club, while Simon Hobday equaled the number in 1994 at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club. Bruce Fleisher also matched the score five years ago at Saucon Valley Country Club.
 
Wayne Levi shot a 4-under 67 on Friday and is alone in fourth place at minus-7.
 
Raymond Floyd, who won the PGA Championship at NCR in 1969, posted a 4- under 67 and is tied for fifth with Des Smyth, who lost in a playoff to Watson last week at the Senior British Open. Smyth carded a 5-under 66 and joined Floyd at 6-under-par 136.
 
Watson, who collected his second Senior British Open win last week, started on the back nine Friday and collected his first birdie at the 11th when he hit his approach to a foot. His next birdie also was from a foot at the par-3 15th as a result of a spectacular 4-iron.
 
He saved some beautiful pars to close his opening nine, including a tough two- putt from short and right of the hole at 16. Watson also saved four from a bunker at the last to make the turn at 3-under 32.
 
At the par-4 third, Watson hit an 8-iron 20 feet right of the hole and converted the breaking birdie try. He recorded an odd par at the par-4 fifth when he reached in two, but putted off the green with his birdie putt. Watson rolled in a 20-footer from off the green for his par.
 
He took advantage of the back-to-back par-5s at five and six. On the fifth, Watson just missed the green with his second, but pitched to 5 feet and ran home the putt. He hit an awful 4-wood for his second at six, but lagged a 70-footer inside a foot for the tap-in birdie.
 
Watson hit an 8-iron to a foot to set up his third birdie in a row at the seventh. He parred No. 8, but ran into trouble at the ninth thanks to a horrible drive. Watson never recovered, bogeying the hole, but still matched Friday's lowest round.
 
"It was kind of a hot and cold day," admitted Watson. "It was very hot, as I hit the ball within a foot of the hole four times today. But my play off the tee was not very good."
 
Stadler, who finished fourth last week, wasted little time in breaking into red figures on Friday. He hit a 9-iron to 5 feet at the first to set up birdie.