Hale Irwin overtook Larry Nelson with a second-round 65 today in the second round of the $1.35 million AT&T Canadian Senior Open.

Irwin, who has five victories this year on the Senior PGA Tour, continued his assault on the 6,705-yard, par-72 Rouville course at the Richelieu Valley Golf Club to post a two-round total of 12-under-par 132.

Nelson, who opened with a course-record 63 on Thursday, played the front nine in 31 today to go to 14-under, but a double bogey on the 10th and a bogey on the 14th dropped him back to a 70 for 11-under 133.

"We were having a good laugh on the practice tee, watching Larry score," said Irwin, last year's money leader who extended his record run of sub-par rounds to 13. "Then he missed that short putt on the ninth that would have put him at 15-under.

"We felt he could be 18- or 19-under at the end of the day and he could end up 35-under. But obviously, the course came back and got him on the back nine."

Leonard Thompson turned in a 64, the low round of the day, to move into a tie at 135 with Jim Ahern. David Lundstrom, with a 66, Tom McGinnis, at 68, and South Africa's Hugh Baiochi, 67, were at 136.

"This is the type of conditions that if you miss a couple of birdie opportunities, you can feel the players passing you," Irwin said of a course that is playing short in warm, breezy weather. "You've got to make birdies to contend.

"You can't go out and shoot a casual 2-under. You've got to be in the mid-60s. But that might slow up if the weather changes."

There was no cut in the four-day event, but the tournament lost one of its star attractions when Lee Trevino withdrew because of a pinched nerve in his right shoulder after shooting 75.

Nelson, who won three major championships during his PGA Tour years, dominated the old-style fairways and greens at Richelieu Valley until he missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the ninth.

"I was thinking about other things, like how low can I shoot?" said Nelson, who admitted to dreaming of shooting a 59. "After missing that putt, I got in the wrong frame of mind.

"For 27 holes, I was always below the hole. Then I started thinking I had to be close to the hole. I was above the hole on eight of the last nine holes. It seemed like every club I took was too much. We're not very smart sometimes."

Nelson said he would talk over his round with his caddie, son Drew, and try to rebound in Saturday's third round.

"There's a lot happening now that I'm very happy about," Nelson said. "I'm still playing better than it's been.

"Even though I shot 39 on the back nine, I still feel I'm more likely to shoot 62 than 78. I feel it's still there."

AP