Hayes’ 61 Ties Him for Lead

J.P. Hayes shot a course-record 10-under-par 61 on Friday for a share of the second-round lead with Fred Funk in the John Deere Classic at Silvas, Ill.

Hayes broke the TPC of Deere Run record of 62 shared by Kirk Triplett, David Frost and Pat Bates. Triplett and Frost shot their 62s in 2000, the first year the event was played on the course, and Bates matched the mark Friday.

Funk, coming off a second-place finish last week in the B.C. Open, shot his second consecutive 64 to match Hayes at 14 under.

Robert Gamez was a stroke back after a 64, and 2001 runner-up Briny Baird (64) and Nolan Henke (65) followed at 11 under. Bates joined first-round leader Mike Heinen (69) in a five-player group at 10 under, and B.C. Open winner Spike McRoy (67) was nine under.

Hayes, the 1998 Buick Classic winner, had 11 birdies and a bogey.

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Kelli Kuehne birdied the first three holes en route to a six-under 65 and a two-stroke lead after the second round of the LPGA Big Apple Classic at New Rochelle, N.Y.

Chris Johnson matched the 65 to move into second at six-under 136, but she went the other way from Kuehne, making birdies on the last three holes at Wykagyl Country Club.

Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam, seeking her seventh tour victory of the year, had a 66 to join South Korea’s Hee-Won Han (67) at five under. Beth Daniel (65) was four under along with Gloria Park (67), Kim Saiki (67) and Sherri Steinhauer (69).

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Bob Gilder shot a six-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over five players, including two-time defending champion Larry Nelson, in the FleetBoston Classic at Concord, Mass.

Gilder, coming off a playoff victory over Hale Irwin last week in the SBC Senior Open in Chicago, had a five-under 31 on the back nine at the Nashawtuc Country Club, getting birdies on Nos. 16 and 18.

Arnold Palmer had the shot of the day, holing a 40-yard eagle chip on the par-five 10th. The 72-year-old Palmer shot a 75, his best round of the year in five senior events and three PGA Tour starts.

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Tom Watson had the only bogey-free round of the Senior British Open, shooting a two-under 69 to move within five strokes of leader Noboru Sugai of Japan at Newcastle, Northern Ireland.

Sugai offset a double bogey at No. 15 with birdies at the 17th and 18th for his second consecutive 67 on the Royal County Down course. Scotland’s John Chillas (69) was four strokes back.