Seniors See Green After Record-Tying 63

Hubert Green tied the course record with a nine-under-par 63 at the TPC of Michigan on Friday, taking a three-stroke lead after the second round of the Senior Players Championship at Dearborn, Mich.

Hale Irwin, who began the day with a two-stroke lead after setting nine-hole and first-round records, shot a one-over 73 and fell into a three-way tie for second with Howard Twitty and Mike McCullough, who both shot 68.

Green followed up a solid opening round with a spectacular one for a two-round total of 10-under 134.

He shot a 71 on Thursday, getting birdies on Nos. 17 and 18. Green birdied the first three holes Friday and seven of the first 13. He finished strong again--and earned a little cushion--with birdies on the final two holes.

Green hit 16 greens in regulation and admitted he was lucky on a couple of holes.

At 14, his drive landed in the water, but he recovered by hitting a five-wood onto the green and saving par with a four-footer. He missed the fairway and the green at 18, then holed a chip shot from about 60 feet.

“I’ll never say the round could have been lower, you’ll never hear that come out of my mouth,” Green said. “Don’t get too piggish out here. The golfing gods have the last say and they have two more rounds here before they are through with me.”

Jim Colbert set the course record in 1995.

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Gary Player withdrew from British Open qualifying because of a rib injury, formally ending his record of 46 consecutive appearances in golf’s oldest championship.

Player, 66, is no longer exempt to the British Open because it has an age limit of 65 for past champions. He won the Open three times, the first one at Muirfield in 1959, and is one of only five men to have won the career Grand Slam.

Player said he pulled rib muscles by working out too hard in his attempt to become the oldest man to make it through the 36-hole qualifier, which begins Sunday.

Player also said he might have to withdraw from the British Senior Open the following week.

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Kirk Triplett shot a seven-under 64 to tie him for the lead with Tommy Armour and Jeff Sluman at the Greater Milwaukee Open with a 36-hole total of 12-under 130.

Sluman shot a 66, while Armour had a 67.

Steve Lowery (65) was one shot behind the leaders and Chad Campbell (66), Robert Damron (63), Dan Forsman (63) and Bo Van Pelt (68) were another stroke back.

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Laura Diaz made four birdie putts of at least 12 feet in a seven-under 64 that gave her a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic at Sylvania, Ohio.

The round was the lowest of Diaz’s four-year professional career. Her eight-under 134 total was two strokes better than rookies Beth Bauer and Jeanne-Marie Busuttil and veteran Kris Tschetter.

Nancy Lopez holed an eight-iron from 134 yards on No. 6 for her 10th career ace. She shot a 70 to qualify and was right on the cut line at 144.

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Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson shot a six-under 65 for a four-stroke lead after two rounds of the Scottish Open at Luss, Scotland.

Former Masters and British Open champion Sandy Lyle followed an opening 67 with a 68 for a 36-hole total of 135.

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Nationwide, one of the country’s largest insurance and financial service organizations, signed a five-year deal to be the umbrella sponsor for the PGA Tour’s developmental tour.

Nationwide will replace Buy.com as the sponsor, giving the tour its fourth name since it began as the Hogan Tour in 1990. Nike also was a tour sponsor.