Bruce Summerhays shot a 4-under-par 68 today and held a one-stroke lead over four players after two rounds of the Boone Valley Classic.

That isn't necessarily great news for Summerhays who has not done well in the past when leading entering the final round of a Senior PGA Tour event.

Frank Conner, who shot a record-tying 9-under 63 today, was tied for second with Kermit Zarley, Jim Dent and Tom Shaw.

Zarley and Shaw both had 66s today, while Dent, who was one stroke off the first-round lead, had a 70.

"The two tournaments I've won, I was chasing the leaders going into the final round," said Summerhays, who was at 9-under 135 for 36 holes. "I've been in the lead before and not won several times and I'm probably a better chaser right now, but maybe we can change that."

Summerhays, who has missed only four of 100 events since joining the Senior Tour in 1994, took last week off.

"I wasn't burned out, I wanted to attend my daughter's graduation from medical school," he said. "But I'm sure the rest didn't hurt"

Summerhays's longest birdie putt was from 45 feet on the par-4 4th.

Conner, who has never won on the Senior Tour, had an eagle and seven birdies to tie the tournament record set by Hale Irwin in 1996. Conner's longest birdie putt was from 15 feet on No. 10.

Conner, who started the day eight strokes behind first-round leader Brian Barnes, said there was a simple explanation for the 10-stroke improvement over night.

"Yesterday, I had two three-putts on the back side and I didn't drive the ball as well as I did today," he said. "The only fairway I missed today was on 18 and I was able to get it up and down for my par.''

Conner eagled the par-4 7th with a pitching wedge from 113 yards.

"The ball landed about six feet behind the hole and rolled back in," Conner said.

Driving has been the most difficult part of Conner's game this year.

"I started year so badly, I was driving the ball so crooked," he said. "I'm still not where I'd like to be with my driver, but I'm better than I was and I trust it a little bit more."

Conner is from nearby Belleville, Ill., and is staying with his mother in his boyhood home during the tournament.

Conner, was an amateur tennis champion in St. Louis but said he hasn't seen many of his former playing partners this week.

"All the old tennis players are still old tennis players, they don't come out for the golf stuff,'' he said.

Zarley had six birdies in his round but described it as routine.

"Nothing stood out about it,'' he said. "A round like today is just a payoff for the hard work I've been doing on my game.''

Hale Irwin, a winner at Boone Valley in 1997, was two shots off the lead after a 69.

AP