Despite glorious conditions at The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex, scoring was still proving difficult as Gene Sauers saw his overnight lead overhauled by Peter Fowler during the early stages of the second round.
With Royal Birkdale Golf Club bathed in splendid sunshine, and little if any breeze to speak of, the stage looked set for someone to put the venerated Southport links to the sword on Friday morning and yet the early starters were still grinding hard to stay on an even keel as the day progressed.
It was 2011 Senior Tour Order of Merit winner Fowler who was looking most impressive, though, as the Australian found three birdies over a flawless first nine 31 to move into a two-shot lead over the chasing pack at four under par.
Sauers, who shot a fine 67 to lead by one following the first round, opened with two bogeys in his first three holes to immediately slip out of top spot, before a birdie two at the short fourth helped the American turn in 35, two under par for the tournament.
American Jeff Hart had earlier briefly held the lead after back-to-back birdies from the fourth, but the two-time ‘All-American’ followed that with consecutive bogeys and remained three shots off the lead.
Elsewhere, Colin Montgomerie was finding the going equally tough on Friday morning, as the Scot made a bogey at the second and a double bogey at the third. With the cut set to fall at 70 places plus ties after the second round, Montgomerie will be looking to build on a birdie at the par four fifth as he looks to make the weekend in his first Senior Open appearance.
