Watson takes charge at U.S. Senior Open

Tom Watson made four consecutive birdies on his way to shooting a six-under-par 66 in the second round of the U.S. Senior Open on Friday, moving to eight-under 136 and taking a three-shot lead over five players.

Taking advantage of relatively calm winds at Whistling Straits, Watson made eight birdies. Accurate approach shots and his strong short game played key roles in his string of four in a row, which came toward the end of his first nine.

Watson’s closest pursuers at five-under 139 are Loren Roberts, Des Smyth, Lonnie Nielsen, Ben Crenshaw and Vicente Fernandez.

First-round leader Eduardo Romero had a rough afternoon capped by a triple-bogey meltdown on the 18th hole, finishing five over for the day and one under for the tournament.

Teeing off on the back nine, Watson began his birdie run on the par-four 14th, where he put a chip shot to within 12 feet and made the putt.

After an accurate approach shot set up an eight-foot birdie putt on the 15th, Watson pushed a potential 25-foot eagle putt past the hole on the par-five 16th but recovered to make birdie.

Watson’s eight-iron shot on the par-three 17th landed within three feet of the hole, and he rolled in the putt to make his fourth straight birdie.

Watson’s streak was interrupted when he hit his approach shot short of the green on 18. He chipped within six feet but missed the putt to take his first bogey of the round.

Hale Irwin missed the cut by one stroke when he missed a short putt on No. 18. It’s the first time he has failed to make the cut in a Champions Tour major, a run of 24 in a row.