ESPN Golf Online news services
Saturday, October 7

NAPA, Calif. -- Jim Thorpe and Jesse Patino, both looking for a breakthrough victory on the Senior PGA Tour, shared a one-stroke lead Saturday.

Nineteen golfers were within five shots of the lead after the second round of the Transamerica Championship at the Silverado Country Club.

Thorpe and Patino, with scores of 11-under-par 133 after two rounds, moved into the lead after Bruce Summerhays and Hugh Baiocchi, who led much of the day, bogeyed the tricky 17th hole and finished at 10-under.

Patino, one of four leaders after the first round, shot a 5-under-par 67. Patino, who never played on the PGA Tour, had birdies on four holes on the back nine, including the 18th.

Thorpe's tee shot on the 17th fell within 15 feet, and his birdie putt dropped. He also birdied the 18th after another fine tee shot, and finished with a 66.

Thorpe, 10th on the Senior Tour's money list this year, has finished second five times on the circuit, including three times this year, but never won. He won just three times in 459 career tournaments on the PGA Tour.

"I feel like I'm making some better swings," said Thorpe, who started using a new driver last week. "This course rewards you if you hit the ball confidently."

Both Summerhays and Baiocchi put their tee shots in a greenside bunker on the par-3 17th. A grim-faced Summerhays hit a nice sand shot but two-putted, while Baiocchi had a poor bunker shot on the way to a double-bogey 5 that dropped him out of the lead.

Summerhays shot a 66 and Baiocchi a 68.

Jose Maria Canizares shot an 8-under 64 for the day's low round and was one of a group of five players at 135. Another was TV commentator and 1999 Senior Tour Championship winner Gary McCord, who eagled the par-5 ninth hole and finished with a 66.

First-round co-leaders Jim Colbert and John Mahaffey also were at 9-under after 69s. Colbert, the 1998 champion, had his 16th consecutive below-par round at the Transamerica.

Defending champion Bruce Fleisher, last season's Senior Tour player of the year, shot a 68 for the second straight day and stayed three shots off the lead. Fleisher is trying to catch money leader Larry Nelson, who took the week off, with a strong finish in Napa.

David Graham carded a 66 to join the group at 135.

Howard Twitty joined Fleisher at 8-under after a 67. At 137 were Allen Doyle, a one-shot runner-up to Fleisher last season, and Dave Eichelberger. Doyle and Eichelberger had 69s.

Arnold Palmer shot an 84 and dropped to last place in the 77-player field.