TURNBERRY, Scotland - Tom Watson's bid to win his first major as a senior was upstaged by his playing partner Friday, and it wasn't Jack Nicklaus.
The Senior British Open was billed as a rematch of the 1977 British Open, in which Watson edged Nicklaus by a stroke at the same Turnberry links.
Someone forgot to tell Carl Mason.
The unheralded Englishman shot 6-under-par 64 for a one-stroke lead going into today's third round at 9-under 131.
Watson added 67 to his first-round 66 and was tied for third behind D.A. Weibring, who shot 63-132. Tom Kite, who shared the first-round lead with Watson, shot 67 and was tied with Watson and Bruce Summerhays (65) at 133.
"I putted very well today, but my golf swing was held together by bailing wire and duct tape today," said Watson, a five-time British Open winner. "I played a very scratchy round, and I watched Carl Mason play a very, very good round of golf. He was very precise in what he was doing, and I need to pick up on that and do the same."
Arnold Palmer birdied three holes in a row, starting with the second. But 10 bogeys in a round of 77 for 13-over 153 sent him over the cut line.
Mason was supposed to be the supporting cast to Watson and Nicklaus (67).
"It feels great, absolutely great," Mason said after walking off with the lead. "I felt a little bit nervous on the first tee. That's pretty normal with the company I was keeping."
Nicklaus was at par at the start of the round. He made up for double-bogey 5 at the fifth with five birdies.
"I'm in good shape, the best shape I've been in a tournament for a long time," said Nicklaus, who has been plagued by back and neck injuries. "It's the first time this year I've felt like I'm playing golf. ... I've participated, but I haven't really played golf."
While delighted with his return to form, the Golden Bear admired the play of Mason and Watson: "Mason holed a ton of putts. Tom holed a flood of putts today. But that's what you've got to do. It's the first time I've seen Carl play, and he played very nicely."
Weibring, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour who is in his rookie season as a senior, charged into contention with eight birdies. He marred his round by driving into the rough at the last hole.
"I didn't like the bogey at the last, but this was a good opportunity to score well," he said. "I've shot a bunch of 64s on par 72s and 71s, but it might be my lowest number, although not the lowest under par. Sixty-two would have sounded good though."
It sounded good to Jim Colbert, who fired 62 to tie the course record set by Harold Henning in the 1990 championship. He made an eagle and seven birdies with bogey at the sixth.
EVIAN MASTERS: Juli Inkster shot a course-record 8-under 64 and moved into a tie for the lead with Rosie Jones after three rounds of the LPGA Tour event in France.
Inkster made eagle on the par-4 first and finished with seven birdies and a bogey to move to 14-under 202. Jones, who held a one-stroke lead after two rounds, shot 67.
Defending champion Annika Sorenstam shot 67 to move from 34th place into a tie for 18th, 10 behind the leaders. South Korea's Hee-Won Han, coming off a victory in Sunday's Big Apple Classic, shot a career-low 65 and was two off the pace.
Sorenstam's husband, David Escher, took over her bag when her regular caddie, Terry McNamara, got food poisoning
"I had to do my own yardages which isn't normal," she said.
Inkster was cautiously optimistic about her chances.
"There are lots of good players who can come through with another 64 and take it away from me," Inkster said.
Jones, whose mother had a stroke six weeks ago, is coming off a two-week break. She finished with six birdies and one bogey.
IRISH OPEN: David Lynn shot 7-under 65 for a one-stroke lead at Portmarnock. First-round leader Thomas Bjorn, who lost a two-stroke lead with three to play and finished second at the British Open on Sunday, struggled to 2-over 74, 10 shots higher than his opening round. Lynn was at 10-under 134, one ahead of Michael Campbell (69).
U.S. BOYS' JUNIOR: Brian Harman made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole and reached the final with a 3-and-2 victory over Patton Kizzire in Chevy Chase, Md. Harman faces 15-year-old Jordan Cox, who advanced to the final with a 4-and-3 win over James Sacheck. If Cox wins he becomes the youngest winner, a distinction held by Tiger Woods, who won his first of three junior titles in 1991 at 15 years, 6 months, 28 days.
U.S. GIRLS' JUNIOR: Defending champion In-Bee Park advanced to the final in Fairfield, Conn., for a second straight year with a 3-and-2 victory over Paula Creamer, the top-ranked junior in the country. Park, 15, plays Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff in today's 18-hole final. Wuesthoff eliminated Mina Harigae 2-up.
BEEM BABY: Rich Beem can concentrate on defending his PGA Championship after the birth of his first child, Michael Waide Beem. The baby was due Aug. 16, the day of the third round of the tournament.
