Associated Press
Saturday, May 27

AUGUSTA, Mo. -- Larry Nelson shot a 6-under-par 66 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Tom Watson after the second round of the Senior PGA Tour's Boone Valley Classic.

	Tom Watson, one shot back, hopes the rain subsides so he has a shot at catching leader Larry Nelson.

After 2 inches of rain hit the water-logged course Saturday night, tour officials said they will make a decision Sunday whether to cancel the final round. If the round is played, the course will be closed to spectators, sponsors and volunteers.

Five inches of rain has fallen in the last two days, leaving standing water on most of the available parking areas. Officials were forced to turn away hundreds of spectators Saturday after losing the use of half of the parking lots.

Nelson, the 1998 winner, had seven birdies and a bogey Saturday for a 12-under 132 total.

"It'll be a lot of fun," Nelson said before the rain put the final round in doubt. "I'm in a position where I won't have to buy a ticket to see a lot of good golf."

Watson, who started the day two strokes behind Nelson and Leonard Thompson, shot a 65. The five-time British Open winner holed a 50-foot putt on No. 4 for one of his eight birdies.

"It was a 50-footer with a 10-foot break. I was shocked when I made it," Watson said. "I even made some short putts today."

Watson was asked what he would have to do Sunday to beat Nelson. "Shoot low," he said with a laugh.

Watson also made putts of 40 and 25 feet on a day when he said he had to scramble to score well. "I wasn't getting close to the pins, but I made the birdies," Watson said.

David Graham, who started the round four strokes behind Nelson and Thompson, shot a 64 -- one off the course record -- to move within two strokes of Nelson. Thompson had a 73 to drop seven back.

Graham had eight birdies in a bogey-free round.

"Nelson is going to be tough to catch," Graham said. "He has played, by far, the best golf in the last 10 weeks out here. He's on his game full-bore and he's going to be hard to beat.

"I may do the same thing tomorrow and still not win, the way those two are playing."

Nelson, Watson and Graham will be paired together Sunday.

"When three guys are that far ahead of everybody else, you might be able to shoot 70 and win, or you might have to shoot 65," said Nelson, a three-time major winner on the PGA Tour who won in Las Vegas last month for his sixth senior title. "I don't think the winner's going to come from fourth or fifth place."

Watson, who finished second last week in Kansas City in the TD Waterhouse Championship, is playing at Boone Valley for the first time as a senior.

Doug Tewell was fourth at 137 after a 68.

Two-time winner Hale Irwin was 11 strokes back after a 73.