KETTERING, Ohio -- On the day Arnold Palmer bowed out of his
final major championship, Tom Watson took a big step toward winning
yet another.
Watson, chasing his second senior major in as many weeks, shot a
6-under 65 on Friday and was tied with Craig Stadler and Loren
Roberts for the second-round lead in the U.S. Senior Open.
The leaders were upstaged by a tired Palmer's post-round
declaration that he would no longer play in any major
championships. In his 50 years of Grand Slam competition, Palmer
won seven majors and added five as a senior.
"My tournaments are getting down to a very few," Palmer said
after completing an 81 that left him at 166, missing the cut by 11
strokes. "As far as trying to compete in major championships such
as the Open and other tournaments, this is it. I'm through doing
it. I'm not going to do it anymore."
Tears glistened in his eyes as he waved, doffed his visor and
even bowed to the huge gallery which gave him a standing ovation as
he finished his round.
Watson, Stadler and Roberts -- all of whom finished their rounds
hours before Palmer's emotional goodbye -- were at 9-under 133,
matching the tournament record for lowest score through 36 holes.
"It's perfect conditions," Watson said. "The greens are soft,
so it's easy to get the ball to stay by the hole. These greens are
really holding -- they're holding a little bit too much probably."
Watson began the day four shots behind Stadler, who tied the
Senior Open's first-round record with a 64.
Watson, who lost in a playoff to Don Pooley in the Senior Open
three years ago, hit four shots within a foot for birdies, but fell
back into a tie for the lead with a bogey on his last hole.
"Right now my swing feels pretty good, and I'm trusting it,"
Watson said. "I guess it doesn't matter what type of conditions
I'm under. I feel as if I can compete with the swing I have right
now."
Watson won five British Opens, two Masters and a U.S. Open and
since turning 50 has captured four more major championships,
including last week's Senior British Open in a playoff.
Roberts, playing in just his second tournament for the over-50
set, followed an opening 66 with a 67 that included five birdies
and a bogey.
"What can I say? It feels great," Roberts said. "I played
really solid the last two days. But the key is that I've driven the
ball well. Anybody who's put a low score up has driven the ball in
the fairway."
Stadler, a former Masters winner with 13 PGA Tour and eight
Champions Tour victories, was even through 12 holes, but birdied
the par-3 13th and the par-4 18th -- holing a 50-foot putt -- to pull
into the three-way tie for the top spot. He shot a 69.
"I made some putts yesterday and I missed a lot today,"
Stadler said. "It's always nice to make a bomb at the end, there's
no doubt about it."
Wayne Levi, who hit all but one fairway in two days, shot a 67
on the heels of an opening 68 and was two strokes back. Des Smyth,
who lost to Watson in the playoff last week, shot a 66 and was tied
with Raymond Floyd at 136. Floyd won the last major championship
played at NCR Country Club, the 1969 PGA Championship.
Bruce Summerhays (69), Mark McNulty (67), Tom Jenkins (matching
Watson's 65 for the low round of the day) and D.A. Weibring (67)
were at 137.
Greg Norman, also playing his second seniors event, shot a 70
despite a double-bogey 7 on No. 6 and was with Allen Doyle (67) at
138.
Hale Irwin, the 1998 and 2000 Senior Open winner, had a 69 and
was at 140. Tom Purtzer, who started the day a shot behind Stadler,
wilted to a 76 that left him at 141.
Defending champion Peter Jacobsen shot a 72 and was at 143.
Among those missing the cut of 145 was 1988 and '89 U.S. Open
champion Curtis Strange.