BEACHWOOD, Ohio — The leader midway through the Senior PGA Championship has never won a tournament outside his homeland, has no sponsors and is more famous for being the subject of a golf book than anything he’s done on a course.
Meet Scotland’s Ross Drummond, the unlikeliest of leaders at the first major championship of the year for the over-50 set.
“I know it’s going to be difficult and I’m going to be nervous, but you just have to draw from that,” Drummond said Friday after matching the low round of the tournament with a 4-under-par 66 to grab the lead by two shots through 36 holes.
Drummond, whose life on the fringes of fame and fortune were told in the popular 1996 book “Four Iron in the Soul,” had a 4-under 136 total.
No European has won the Senior PGA since Jock Hutch- ison — also a Scot — in 1947.
Tom Purtzer, whose 66 tied him for the first-round lead with Scott Hoch, faded to a 72 and was two shots back along with Hoch. Also at 2-under 138 were Jeff Sluman (68), Larry Mize (69) and Bernhard Langer (70).
Sabbatini tied for lead
IRVING, Texas — Rory Sabbatini followed an unconventional par with four straight birdies on way to a season-best 6-under 64 and a share of the second-round lead with John Mallinger (65—132) at the Byron Nelson Championship.
On No. 3, Sabbatini drove into the water, hit his next shot into a greenside bunker and holed out for par.
First-round co-leader James Nitties (68) overcame a double bogey when he hit his first tee shot out of bounds and was in a group at 7-under 133 that included playing partner Brian Davis (65).
Footnotes.
Karine Icher of France shot a 6-under 66 to gain a two-shot lead over Hee-Won Han (67—132) after two rounds at the LPGA Corning (N.Y.) Classic.
• Paul Casey shot a 5-under 67 for a 136 total and two- stroke lead midway through the BMW PGA Championship in Virginia Water, England.
The Associated Press
