Tim Herron shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday and is tied for the lead with Steve Stricker and Stephen Ames after two rounds of the Principal Charity Classic at Des Moines, Iowa.
Ames of Canada shot his second consecutive 66 while first-round leader Stricker shot 68, four shots off his opening pace at the Wakonda Club.
Tim Petrovic is alone in fourth after a 65 put him two shots behind the trio of leaders.
Herron had an eagle on the par-5, No. 8, six birdies and one bogey during his stellar round.
The 53-year-old battles Dupuytren’s contracture, a hand disorder in which there is a gradual tightening of tissue-like cords under the skin. Eventually, the fingers move in toward the palm.
“I’ve been struggling a lot with my hands and my feet and I think the heat’s kind of helped a little bit,” Herron said after Saturday’s round. “I still get some stingers and no feeling in my right hand, but I’m just trying to play as much golf as I can before I feel like something’s growing on my hands every day.
“I’m just hoping to play as much golf as I can and then hang out with the family. I’d like to fish, but I can’t use my hands even to do that.”
Herron said he will feel discomfort at times after hitting a ball.
“It’s a shock feeling that goes all the way up your arm,” said Herron, who is looking for his first Champions win.
Stricker is looking for his third consecutive win. He won the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Ala., in mid-May and the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship last weekend in Frisco, Texas.
Stricker, 56, had four birdies during a bogey-free round. Three of the birdies came during his first five holes before his play wasn’t as sharp.
“I let a couple get away at times, didn’t really get it in the fairway all that well today,” Stricker said. “One of those rounds where it kind of was a bit of a struggle, but again, I’m tied for the lead and got an opportunity for tomorrow. Hopefully get a little sharper tomorrow and have some more opportunities.”
Ames, 59, also enjoyed a bogey-free round and he carded an eagle on the par-5, No. 5. He birdied Nos. 7, 8 and 9 and also finished with one on 18.
Ames is looking for his third title of the season and fifth of his Champions career. He won this event in 2021.
Petrovic, 56, is making his 137th Champions start and has never won. He has 10 second-place finishes.
Petrovic carded an eagle on the par-5, No. 15 and had six birdies during a bogey-free round.
Defending champion Jerry Kelly (69 on Saturday) is in a four-way tie for fifth at 9 under with David Toms (65), David Branshaw (67) and Australia’s Rod Pampling (69).
Germany’s Bernhard Langer is tied for 16th at 7 under. He is tied with Hale Irwin (45) for most wins on the Champions tour.
–Field Level Media