Jack Nicklaus needed only two tournament rounds to resemble the Golden Bear of old, not an old Golden Bear.

Nicklaus, his golf comeback accelerating as quickly as his recovery from hip replacement surgery, shot a 2-under 70 today in the Senior PGA Bell Atlantic Classic -- his first sub-par round of any kind since his operation.

Nicklaus has played about 25 practice rounds since receiving a ceramic left hip in January, and none was as good as Saturday's.

Dare it be said so soon? Jack is back, far ahead of even his own ambitious recovery schedule.

"It's probably a little better than I thought it would be," said Nicklaus, who shot a 2-over 74 Friday. "I suspected that I should shoot around 75 both days and I'm a little better than that."

Unlike Friday, there were more good shots than bad ones. Many more, although he trails leader Tom Jenkins by seven shots. Rocky Thompson, Gil Morgan and Jesse Patino are one stroke back at 6 under going into Sunday's final round.

Morgan was 8 under through 16 holes before finishing bogey-bogey, but his 67 tied Jenkins for the best round of the day. Thompson, who hasn't won since 1995, was tied for the lead until bogeying No. 18.

Privately, Nicklaus hoped for below-par scores on the hilly Hartefeld National course but, realistically, didn't expect them, even though he felt the competition and the crowds would make him play batter.

"The galleries in my backyard are not very loud," he said.

At times, he was as erratic Saturday as he was Friday during his first competitive round since a final-day 67 in the U.S. Senior Open in July.

But on a sunny, humid day that saw temperatures quickly reach the mid 80s, the 59-year-old Nicklaus wasn't bothered by the heat, his hip or his rustiness. Driving more accurately than Friday, he started birdie-birdie, bringing loud cheers from a gallery that grew on every hole.

Nicklaus' crowd appeal was obvious. When the leaders finished at 7:05 p.m. EDT, about two hours after he did, only a few hundred spectators ringed the 18th green.

His short game gave him trouble as he bogeyed Nos. 5, 7 and 9, twice missing relatively short putts to save par. But he heated up on the back nine with four birdies in seven holes and was on pace to shoot a 69 before lipping out a par putt at No. 18.

Remember, that's four birdies in seven holes for a man who was on crutches in February, who needed a cane to walk in March and was barely driving 180 yards in April.

Nicklaus' fast finish may have been the result of the personal challenge he made himself at the turn: shoot a 5-under 31 on the back nine.

"I kind of got mad and said, 'This is ridiculous, let's start playing some golf,'" Nicklaus said

He had a chance for that 31 until he bogeyed 18.

"I came close," he said. "When you start setting goals for yourself and you start going after them and you start seeing results, it adds confidence to what you're doing.

"It gets to be fun."

Fun is the main reason why Nicklaus ignored his doctor's predictions and returned to tournament golf two months ahead of schedule. He was bored with rebuilding his game on the practice course, saying, "I needed to get back out here with the guys -- even if I don't take their money."

That might come soon. He chose to return this weekend as a tuneup for his own Memorial tournament in two weeks and, after that, the U.S. Senior Open and the Seniors Players Championship.

"It's me against me right now," Nicklaus said. "I'm trying to get myself back into shape. But I'm kind of ahead of schedule."

Despite Nicklaus' presence, the Bell Atlantic field is one of the weakest on the Senior PGA Tour this year. Only two of the top 10 and four of the top 15 money-winners are entered.

Of those close to the lead, only Morgan, who is 20th, is among the top 20 money-winners. Jenkins' best finish this year is sixth. Patino is playing in only his second tournament in 1999. Thompson is 63rd on the money list.

Bob Charles, who began his 2-under 70 with an eagle and a birdie, and Jim Colbert are two shots off the lead at 5 under.

"I like my position," said Jenkins, who joined the tour last year and was a runner-up once. "The key, just like the last couple of days, is getting off to a good start."

AP