Michael Allen shot a four-under 67 to take a five-stroke lead after Saturday’s second round of the Champions Tour’s Encompass Insurance Pro-Am.
Allen played the front nine in even par, then birdied the par-three 11th and made a 40-foot eagle putt on the par-five 12th. He finished with a birdie on the par-four 18th to reach nine-under at TPC Tampa Bay.
Allen won the 2009 Senior PGA Championship for his lone victory on the 50-and-over tour.
Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Corey Pavin and Olin Browne were tied for second. Langer and Pavin shot 71, Lyle had a 69, and Brown a 66.
First-round leader Bruce Fleisher struggled, shooting a 78 to finish at one over. The 63-year-old Fleisher shot a 65 on Friday.
Tom Watson dropped out because of an injured right hand. He shot a 77 on Friday.
Watson has had an issue with the arm recently, which he said earlier in the week has translated into a weak hand.
Andy Bean and Wayne Levi also withdrew on Saturday because of back injuries. Nick Price (elbow) and Tommy Armour III (shoulder) both departed on Friday.
After Pavin got to seven under with a birdie at 14, he bogeyed the next three holes.
Fleisher had bogeys on No.1 and 3, and a triple bogey on the par-4 fourth hole after hitting two balls into the water. He played even par on the back nine.
Chien Soon Lu, one shot off the lead entering Saturday, dropped to 3 over after a 79.
Kenny Perry, coming back from a viral infection, had eight birdies en route to a 67. He was 6 under before double bogeys at 15 and 18 left him at 3 under.