Michael Allen fired a brilliant seven-under par 63 and will take a commanding five-shot lead into the third round at Omaha Country Club in the U.S. Senior Open.
Allen has experienced the highs and the lows in his 30-year professional golf career. He never won on the PGA Tour, but did win the 1989 Scottish Open on the European Tour.
Since turning 50 though, Allen has become a factor on the Champions Tour. He has four wins on the senior circuit including a major. His inaugural win on the Champions Tour came at the 2009 Senior PGA Championship.
Allen was one of only 20 players that shot under par for the first round on Thursday with a solid three-under par 67. His second round featured five birdies and no bogeys on the front-nine. He made the turn with a five-under par 30. After a bogey at No. 12, he came back with a birdie at No. 13 and rammed in a long putt at No. 14 for an eagle on the par-5.
His back-nine of two-under par 33 gave him a total of 63 for the round. Only 17 players broke par on Friday and Allen’s 63 was the best of the day by three shots.
Only nine players are under par after 36 holes. Rocco Mediate knows a little bit about playing in USGA events. He was runner-up to Tiger Woods in the 2008 U.S. Open in that famous playoff.
Mediate is in the second spot at the U.S. Senior Open, but is five shots behind Allen.
Jeff Sluman is one more back at four-under par and alone in third place. Fred Funk and Jeff Brehaut are tied at three-under par.
Tom Lehman and Mark O’Meara are two-under par and tied for sixth. NBC golf announcer Gary Koch is tied with Duffy Waldorf at one-under par for eighth.
63-year-old Tom Watson just keeps on chugging. He has posted two rounds of even-par 70 and is T-10.
64 players made the cut at the U.S. Senior Open. Mark Calcavecchia, Larry Nelson, Jeff Hart, Gene Jones, John Houston, Tim Thelen, Jay Haas and Lance Ten Broeck all tied for the last spot at five-over par.
If Allen should stumble over the weekend, Fred Couples, Steve Elkington and Kenny Perry are also near the top of the leaderboard.
Michael Allen is the poster child for the slogan “life begins after 50.” Can he keep up the great play this week and pick up a second major for his trophy case?