Two teams share lead Legends of Golf
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The tandem of Brad Bryant and Tom Purtzer carded a seven-under 65 on Saturday to stay in first at the Legends of Golf, though now they share the lead with Michael Allen and David Frost.
Allen and Frost fired a nine-under 63, and the two leading teams sit at 19- under-par 125. They hold a one-stroke advantage over four teams heading into Sunday's final round of the tournament, which uses a two-man better-ball format.
Bryant and Purtzer had recorded a 60 in Friday's first round, but weren't able to keep up that torrid pace.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}As a result, the top of the leaderboard is a lot more crowded. Tom Kite and Gil Morgan used an 11-under 61 to reach minus-18, and they share third place with the teams of Fred Couples and Jay Haas (63); Andy North and Bobby Clampett (62); and Brad Faxon and Jeff Sluman (64).
Tom Lehman and Bernhard Langer (63) are among six teams tied for seventh at 17-under 127.
The two leading teams teed off last, and certainly had a chance to go lower than 19-under. They both reached that score by the 13th hole, which they both birdied.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}For Allen and Frost, it was their fourth birdie in a row and sixth in seven holes. Bryant and Purtzer had birdied three consecutive holes around the turn before draining the one at 13.
But both teams parred out to stay at minus-19 and increase the possibility of a tight Sunday finish.
Couples and Haas nearly made it three teams at 19-under -- they were sitting on that number after a birdie at the 15th, their sixth birdie in a seven-hole span. However, they were knocked back down by a bogey at the 17th.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}North and Clampett pulled themselves into contention with five consecutive birdies on the back nine, starting with No. 11. That run put the duo at minus-16, and Clampett holed out from the 18th fairway for a closing eagle.
Kite and Morgan, as well as Faxon and Sluman, got through the second round without a bogey. Kite and Morgan totaled 11 birdies for Saturday's low round, including six on the back nine, while Faxon and Sluman needed eight birdies in order to share third.
NOTES: Defending champions Mark McNulty and David Eger shot an eight-under 64 and are tied for 17th at minus-14...In the Raphael Division, for golfers 50-69 years old and a 36-hole competition, Des Smyth and Mark James repeated as champions.