Tom Purtzer vaults into lead with 64

Tom Purtzer is cruising right along again on the Champions Tour.

Purtzer rode to an 8-under-par 64 on Saturday to take the lead after two rounds of the Bank of America Championship. R.W. Eaks shot 65 and Mark McNulty shot 69 to sit one stroke back at the par-72, 6,728-yard Nashawtuc Country Club.

"It was fun to watch," Eaks said. "He just dragged us along, that's all."

Purtzer bounced in a 9-iron from 147 yards out on No. 7 to improve to 4-under, then followed that with consecutive birdies before making the turn.

"It kind of startled me when I watched it disappear. You're wondering, 'Where did it go?'" Purtzer said. "But that shot definitely jump-started me."

He picked up two more shots on the 14th and 15th and had an eagle putt from the fringe on No. 18 before settling for the tap-in that gave him his low round of the year. He also had a 64 in the final round at the Bank of America Colonial, on the PGA Tour.

The senior circuit's players were permitted to use carts due to temperatures in the mid-90s on Saturday.

Carts are only allowed in exceptional circumstances, like at the Allianz Championship in Polk City, Iowa, where there were several changes in elevation. Carts also were allowed because of heat for one round in Austin, Texas, at the end of April.

Like many players, Purtzer generally rode from the tee to his ball and then walked the rest of each hole.

The heat also helped Purtzer loosen his balky back. And it's not like the Arizona native isn't used to it.

"I don't think I liked the heat the last three holes, but up until then it was fine," he said. "It's kind of a Catch-22: I don't like all the heat, but it definitely makes me feel better."

Purtzer led after each of the first two rounds at Nashawtuc last year but shot even par in the last round and finished four strokes back. The day was more memorable for Craig Stadler, a former Masters champion, because his son Kevin won on the Nationwide Tour that day.

"If it wasn't for Kevin Stadler, I might have won last year, too," Purtzer joked. "I don't blame Craig; I blame Kevin."

Kevin Stadler did not make the cut at the Barclays Classic and was not playing this weekend.

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