Two weeks after finishing first and second in the British Senior Open, Christy O'Connor of Ireland and John Bland of South Africa were tied for the second-round lead of the Senior PGA Tour's Foremost Insurance Championship on Saturday.

Bland shot a 5-under-par 67 Saturday, while Bland had a 68 as the two were at 7-under 137 heading into the final round of the $1 million tournament at the 6,995-yard Egypt Valley Country Club course.

O'Connor, who won the British Senior Open, and Bland were one stroke ahead of Bruce Fleisher, the tour's leading money winner, and two ahead of John Jacobs, defending champion George Archer and first-round co-leader Dick Lotz.

Fleisher, a five-time winner as a rookie on the senior tour, had a 70 Saturday, while Jacobs had a 69, Archer a 70 and Lotz a 72.

Bland's round was his best on tour since late May.

"I played solid through the first nine and I shot 32 on the back, so that was pretty good," Bland said. "I have played steady the whole year, but this week has been pretty good. Christy is very hot, but the Irish can't have all the luck."

Bland birdied six of the final 13 holes.

"You've got to be careful here because the greens are tiny," Bland said. "The greens are so small and the pin placements have been very good. On this golf course, sometimes you need to aim away from the flag, and some guys don't like to do that. I've always enjoyed the golf courses that are more difficult, but maybe I just concentrate more. I've been pretty happy with the way I've played though."

O'Connor made the turn at 6 under and although he had only one birdie on the back, he had critical par saves on the final two holes. He hit a tree with his second shot on No. 17 and found a bunker on 18 then needed a 25-foot putt to save par.

"I played really, really solid," said O'Connor, who also missed five birdie putts of no more than 12 feet.

"I missed a few short ones but I made a few long ones. That's golf," O'Connor said. "I thought I could have built up such a lead on those five holes though."

AP