Sigel holds on to lead

It was another good day for Jay Sigel. It was good while it lasted for Miller Barber.

Sigel shot a 2-under-par 70 Saturday to take a one-shot lead while Barber fell far off the pace with an 82 after the second round of the $1.6 million BellSouth Classic.

The first-round leader with a 64, Sigel is 10-under 134 after 36 holes and holds a slim lead over Fuzzy Zoeller and Gil Morgan, who shot 68s on Saturday.

While Sigel took the lead Friday, it was the 71-year-old Barber who stole the spotlight by shooting four strokes better than his age with a 67. Sigel even credited Barber with providing some inspiration for his own stellar round.

But Barber was nowhere close to his age Saturday, shooting the worst round of any golfer to fall into a tie for 69th at 149.

The 58-year-old Sigel is seeking his second win of the season after ending an injury-plagued four-year victory drought at the Farmers' Charity Classic in late May. His second-best performance was a fifth in the NFL Golf Classic two weeks ago.

"It's nice to be in the lead, but it doesn't mean a whole lot," said Sigel, who had four birdies and two bogeys, including a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 8. "I've got a job to do and I've got to go out there and do it."

History is on Sigel's side. The leader of this event after 36 holes has won the event seven times in the last eight years.

"I can't control what others do, but I'm happy to be in this position," Sigel added.

Bruce Fleisher shot a 64 -- the best round of the day -- to move within two strokes of Sigel at 136.

The 1998 champion, Fleisher dominated the back nine, birdying six holes in a seven-hole span from Nos. 11 through 17. He chose to compete here this week rather than play in the U.S. Open.

"I did what I wanted to do with the U.S. Open," Fleisher said. "I always felt an obligation to be part of the Senior Tour. I think there is a time and place and you have to move on."

Dana Quigley, who is playing in his record 184th straight event for which he is eligible, also is at 136 after shooting a 70.

Vicente Fernandez (67), Mike McCullough (68), Bob Gilder (69) and Morris Hatalsky (70) all finished the round tied for sixth at 137.

Zoeller claimed his first major title on the elder circuit last week, winning the Senior PGA Championship. He can become the first Senior rookie to post back-to-back wins since Fleisher at the Royal Caribbean Classic and the American Express Invitational. "A lot of good things are happening," Zoeller said. " I don't really care if I'm in the lead or not. I'm just glad that I'm close."

Zoeller saved his best for the back nine, where he had five birdies and no bogeys.

Lee Trevino, who was among the leaders on Friday after shooting a 67, stumbled to a 74 on Saturday.

The Senior Tour will have two majors in a four-week span. The Greater Baltimore Classic is next week followed by the U.S. Senior Open in Owings Mills, Maryland.

The Springhouse course measures 6,783 yards.

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