Don Pooley vaults into lead with 64 - Constellation Energy Classic 2006

If waking up before dawn would guarantee him a sensational round of golf, Don Pooley would be delighted to set his alarm clock at 4:30 a.m. on a daily basis.

Pooley made the most of a very long day, birdieing half the holes Saturday in an 8-under 64 that left him a stroke ahead of Keith Fergus and Massy Kuramoto after two rounds of the Constellation Energy Classic.

Andy Bean moved into contention for his first victory on the Champions Tour with a course-record 63 that included an eagle and eight birdies. Bean, Brad Bryant, Jay Haas, Tom Jenkins and Hajime Meshiai will start Sunday's final round two strokes behind Pooley, who was at 10-under 134.

Fergus shot a bogey-free 66, sinking three birdie putts on each nine. Kuramoto capped his 67 with a 14-foot birdie putt on 18.

Pooley woke up early and was on the course before the majority of the 79-man field because he had to complete the final four holes of the rain-shortened first round. After closing out his 70, he returned to his hotel for 45 minutes.

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"Then I came back here and started over again," he said. "But the adrenaline was flowing there after a while, so I didn't get tired."

Pooley began the second round with three straight birdies, then parred No. 4 and made a 20-foot putt for a birdie on 5. Pooley added another birdie on No. 9 to make the turn at 7 under before taking the lead with four birdies on the back nine -- including a 41-foot chip in on the par-3 11th.

Pooley missed matching Bean's record-setting 63 with his lone bogey of the round, on No. 18. He sent an uphill 15-foot putt three feet past the hole, then missed the comebacker.

"It was a great day, but five minutes ago I got angry at the finish," he said after walking off the 7,051-yard Hayfields Country Club course.

One of Pooley's two victories on the Champions Tour came in the 2002 Senior Open at nearby Caves Valley. In that event, he shot a 63 on Saturday to take the lead.

"I thought about that out there. I'm thinking I'm 9 under, it looks like I'll shoot another 63 in Baltimore," Pooley said. "I have nothing but good memories here."

Unlike Pooley, Bean completed the first round Friday, shooting a 73. Starting on the back nine Saturday, he opened with two straight birdies, three-putted on No. 12 for a bogey, then added two more birdies.

After a par on 15, Bean eagled the par-5, 553-yard 16th hole. He began with a solid drive, then hit a 3-wood 236 yards and sank a 34-foot putt.

He parred 17 before a 15-foot putt on 18 ignited a run of four straight birdies.

"The only thing about it is that I forgot to play the last six holes," Bean said, referring to his string of six successive pars to finish.

His 63 broke the course record of 64 shared previously by six players.

"Today was one of those days you knew you had to shoot low to have a chance to win," said Bean, who will vie Sunday for his first title since the PGA Tour's 1986 Byron Nelson Golf Classic.

"I've a good chance to win, and that's all I can ask for," he said. "You make the putts I made today, and you've got a very good chance."

Fergus opened with two straight birdies and coasted to the finish.

"It was an easy 66. I didn't have to struggle at all today," he said.

Now in his third year on the Champions Tour, the 52-year-old Fergus is seeking his first tournament title.

"It takes time to learn to win again and learn the courses," he said. "The more times you're close, sooner or later the door will open and you'll fall in."

First-round leader Jim Thorpe moved to 8 under before getting successive bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16. He shot a 72 for a 138 total.

Arnold Palmer carded an 84 and was 29 over after two rounds.