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Allen’s 63 gives him lead over Mediate in Senior Open

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OMAHA, Neb. – Michael Allen shot a 7-under 63 Friday and broke away from the pack for a 5-stroke lead after the second round of the U.S. Senior Open.

Allen was among seven players who shared the first-round lead at 3-under. He birdied five of the first eight holes and eagled the par-5 14th while shooting his best round of the year in hot, breezy conditions at the par-70 Omaha Country Club.

Allen’s 36-hole lead is the largest in the event’s 34-year history.

Rocco Mediate, at 5-under, is his closest pursuer. Mediate finished with 14 straight pars while shooting a bogey-free 67. Jeff Sluman, who also shot 67, is at 4-under after missing an 8-foot par putt on the 18th.

Allen was short with his birdie putt on the last hole, ending his bid to match the U.S. Senior Open record of 62 by Loren Roberts at Prairie Dunes in 2006.

The 54-year-old Allen never won in 394 starts on the regular tour, but he has four victories since joining the Champions Tour four years ago, including the 2009 Senior PGA Championship.

He had top-10 finishes in the U.S. Senior Open in 2010-11 and tied for 33rd last year. His game has been on the upswing lately. He won the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic in March and came to Omaha with three top-10 finishes in his last four events.

It looked as if Allen and Mediate would match birdies early. Mediate had three in four holes to start the afternoon and took a brief lead.

But Allen, playing in the group behind him, got on a tear. He hit every green in regulation while going out in 30 and made the turn with a 3-shot lead.

Allen’s strength is his irons, and he was hitting them pure on the front nine, seemingly oblivious to the southerly winds gusting to 25 mph and the course’s elevation changes.

The most impressive of his six birdies came on the 477-yard eighth hole, which has been playing as the toughest on the course. He hit a 210-yard 4-iron to 15 feet, then raised his right hand and gave a quick thumbs-up after his straight putt dropped into the cup.

That birdie, however, was trumped a short time later by his round-defining eagle.

The eagle was timely, for it came after he started to struggle a bit. He came up short with a 9-iron into the wind on the downhill, 138-yard 11th. The ball wound up in the bunker in front of the green, but he got up and down with a curling 8-foot putt.

Defending champion Roger Chapman was among the players who missed the cut. He followed his first-round 74 with a 76.

Johnson keeps share of lead: Zach Johnson has evolved into one of the most consistent players the John Deere Classic has ever seen.

Johnson put together another steady round, maintaining a share of the lead despite standout efforts from rookie Patrick Reed and Lucas Glover.

Johnson, the defending champion, shot a 5-under 66 to join Reed and Glover atop the leaderboard at 12-under 130 following second-round play in Silvis, Ill.

It “was a day of just hanging in there and letting things come. But I like the fact that I don’t have to be perfect and I can still play here,” Johnson said.

Reed shot a 63 in the morning session, just one year after missing the cut at TPC Deere Run – and Glover finished a shot better at 9 under on Friday.

Australia’s Matt Jones is a shot back at 11 under. Troy Matteson leads a pack at 10-under, while three-time winner Steve Stricker is among those contending at 9 under.

Given how well Johnson has played this course of late, it could take a spectacular weekend to beat him.

Johnson has shot 18 consecutive rounds in the 60s at Deere Run – largely by avoiding big mistakes and scrambling out of small ones – and his ninth bogey-free round Friday was a tournament record.

“I’m just comfortable. I’m comfortable with every tee shot. I’m comfortable with every wind, and clearly I’m comfortable on the greens,” Johnson said.

Matthew is LPGA leader:Catriona Matthew shot a 64 Friday to take a three-stroke lead after the second round of the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic in Ontario.

Matthew’s 15-under 127 at the tournament’s midway point blew away her previous career-best 36-hole mark on tour by five strokes. American Angela Stanford shot a 67 and was second, while Inbee Park, who is looking to win her fourth straight LPGA Tour event, had a 67 and was tied with three other players at 10-under.

Collins shoots 60 in Web.com event: Chad Collins missed a chance for the fourth 59 in Web.com Tour history, parring the final six holes for an 11-under 60 in the Utah Championship.

Collins missed a 15-foot uphill birdie putt on the par-4 ninth, his last hole in the second round at Willow Creek Country Club. He had an eagle and nine birdies on the first 12 holes and matched the tour nine-hole record with a 27.

Washington’s Steve Wheatcroft shot 69 and missed the cut by one stroke.

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