Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Fred Couples fired a 7-under 63 on Friday to
take a 1-stroke lead after two rounds of the Senior Players Championship, the
third major of the year on the Champions Tour.
The defending champion finished 36 holes at 11-under-par 129. Couples matched
the 18-hole scoring record and beat the 36-hole scoring mark by two strokes.
J.C. Snead set the old 36-hole mark of 131 in 1992.
Joe Daley, who is coming off a tie for fourth at the Senior PGA Championship,
carded a 6-under 64 to move into second place at minus-10 at Fox Chapel Golf
Club.
Tradition winner Tom Lehman, who finished fourth last year, posted a 3-under
67 to finish two rounds in third at 7-under-par 133.
Mark Calcavecchia and Jay Don Blake had matching 5-under 65s to climb into a
share of fourth. They were joined at 6-under-par 134 by Bill Glasson (67) and
Michael Allen (68).
Tom Watson, a two-time runner-up, carded a 3-under 67 to move into a tie for
12th at 3-under-par 137.
First-round leader Bruce Vaughan struggled to a 4-over 74 to tumble into a
share of 16th at minus-2.
Greg Norman stumbled to a 4-over 74 and fell to 1-over 141.
Couples opened his round with birdies on the first and second. He followed
with birdies on the fourth and sixth to climb to 8-under par.
Daley, who was three groups ahead of Couples, also birdied one and two, but
dropped a shot on the third. Daley poured in three consecutive birdie chances
from the fifth to get to minus-8.
After a bogey on the eighth, Daley birdied 10 and 11 to move to 9-under,
where he was one clear of Couples.
After Couples tripped to a bogey at 12, Daley briefly moved three clear with a
birdie on the 15th, but Couples answered with a birdie on 13. Daley's lead was
down to one as he stumbled to a bogey at the par-4 16th.
Daley birdied the last to get in the house at 10-under.
Couples closed his round in fine fashion. After a birdie on the 16th, Couples
also birdied 17 and 18 to grab the 1-stroke lead.
Reigning U.S. Senior Open champion Olin Browne fired an 8-under 62, the low
round of the day, to soar from a share of 52nd into a tie for eighth at 5-
under 135. He was joined there by former Masters champion Larry Mize (65) and
Jeff Freeman (65).
Notes: Couples has won five of the eight times he has had the 36-hole lead on
the Champions Tour, but two of the three lost leads were in majors.
The Sports Network