Australian Peter Senior – winless after 47 attempts on the Champions Tour – says he feels close to his first victory after grabbing a share of the lead following the second round of the Allianz Championship at Broken Sound Golf Club on Saturday.
Corey Pavin followed his opening 8-under 64 with a 70 to match Senior at 10-under at the top of the leaderboard, while Senior shot a 68 second round.
Mark Calcavecchia (68) and Bernhard Langer (69) were a stroke back.
Pavin had a two-shot lead with two holes left, but bogeyed the 17th – his lone bogey of the day – while Senior birdied the 18th to finish level.
Senior overcame a bogey on the par-5 first hole with five birdies on his last 13 holes. The Australian had a one-shot lead heading into the final round last year, but shot a 77 and faded to 17th.
“I have more confidence than I did this time last year, because I’m playing better,” Senior said. “I know I’m close to winning.”
Pavin, also yet to post a win after 34 career Champions Tour starts, said he was happy with his form in the tough conditions.
“I played solidly,” Pavin said. “I didn’t get as much out of this round as I did (Friday), but it was difficult out there with the wind coming from a different direction.”
Calcavecchia was 3 over after three holes, then finished with seven birdies. He’s shooting for his 12th consecutive top-10 finish on the Champions Tour. Don January holds the record with 36 from 1980-84.
“I wasn’t thinking about winning when I walked to the fourth tee, I can promise you that,” Calcavecchia said.
“I have never been this consistent in my career. If I putt well, I’m going to have a good chance.”
Langer won at Broken Sound two years ago when he holed a bunker shot in a playoff with John Cook and lives just minutes from the course.
“It’s going to take a lot of patience,” Langer said. “You need to try and hit as many greens as possible because it’s going to be difficult to get up-and-down for pars.”
Peter Jacobsen shot the day’s best round, a 7-under 65, to move into a fifth-place tied with J.L. Lewis (67), Michael Allen (67) and Joey Sindelar (69) at 7 under.
“I didn’t expect this,” said Jacobsen, returning from his 17th surgery, a laser operation last November to remove bone spurs in his lower back.
Defending champion Tom Lehman was 1 under after a 72.