
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The boys from Madison are making it look easy at the U.S. Senior Open.
For the second straight day, Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly, friends and competitors since their junior years, took apart the rain-softened Warren Golf Course, each shooting bogey-free rounds of 6-under 64 in the second round Friday.
Stricker broke the tournament 36-hole record at 14-under 126, a day after shooting an event-record 62 for a share of the first-round lead with defending champion David Toms. Kelly, a playoff winner over Stricker and Retief Goosen last week at the American Family Insurance Championship in Madison, was two strokes back after their morning rounds.
“I like what I did again today,” said the 52-year-old Stricker, the Regions Tradition winner last month for his first major title. “I’ve got some good feelings going on with just about every club in my bag, and hopefully those continue and I keep playing smart and being aggressive at times.”
Stricker has plenty of motivation from his loss Sunday when he missed a birdie putt on the final hole of regulation and bogeyed the first playoff hole.
“It stings a little bit,” Stricker said. “I feel good going around this course. It fits my eye well. It’s a treat to go around here and play, and I like what I’ve been doing so far.”
A day after recording seven birdies and an eagle in a bogey-free round, Stricker had six birdies and finished strong with a 15-foot putt on No. 9, his final hole of the day.
“I’ve been driving the ball well, getting it in the fairways. My iron play has been pretty strong this week, and I’m holing a few putts,” Stricker said. “I’ve hit a lot of greens in regulation. I think somebody told me I’ve hit 31 greens, so I’ve only missed five. To go bogey-free around here is a good day. Just been doing a little bit of everything well and holing some nice putts.”
Stricker expects Kelly to continue applying pressure.
“I knew this course would set up well for him. He’s doing everything well as it shows from winning last week,” Stricker said.
The victory last week was the 53-year-old Kelly’s fourth on the 50-and-over tour. He won three PGA Tour titles.
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