Golf: Colin Montgomerie maintains lead at Senior Open

Golf • Scotsman leads by a shot.
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Edmond, Okla. • Colin Montgomerie thought it would be tough to keep his advantage from the first round at the U.S. Senior Open, and it was.

The Scotsman shot an even-par 71 on Friday and leads Scott Dunlap by one stroke after the second day of the tournament.

Montgomerie opened with a 65 on Thursday, and then held off the field in mid-90s heat and high humidity. He is at 6 under after two rounds.

"It's not easy to repeat a good round as yesterday's was, but this was as good, to be honest," he said. "Seventy-one out there was a good effort. Breezy conditions, windier than it was yesterday, warmer and with the pack coming at you — it's never easy."

Dunlap had a 69 in the first round and a 68 in the second to get to 5 under. He was at 2 under after starting on the back nine, and then went back to the front nine and birdied Nos. 2, 5 and 7 on his way to a 32.

"I have been particularly good with the putter this week," Dunlap said. "Been tidy. I have made a couple, made all my short ones. You know, those will be big in any tournament, for sure, but especially a major."

Dunlap has one bogey in 36 holes on a course regarded as one of the most difficult in the United States.

"Take my hat off to that," said Bernhard Langer, who is tied for third. "That's good playing. It's all I can say. It's very difficult not to make bogies here. You can bogey every single hole. There's no easy hole out here, and that's very good ball striking or incredible scrambling, whatever he does."

PGA Tour

In Silvis, Ill., Zach Johnson and William McGirt were at 12-under-par 130 and tied for the lead at the halfway point of the John Deere Classic. They were a stroke ahead of Steven Bowditch, Johnson Wagner and Brian Harman.

Three-time Deere winner Steve Stricker shot a 65 Friday for a 133 total to vault into contention at the par-71 TPC Deere Run, and was tied for sixth with Rory Sabbatini, Ryan Moore and Todd Hamilton.

Johnson, the Deere winner in 2012, shot a 4-under 67 in the afternoon despite two bogeys in his last four holes. That dropped him into a tie with McGirt.

McGirt, 35, is looking for his first PGA Tour victory.

Women's British Open

In Southport, England, American Mo Martin carded her second straight 3-under 69 in the Women's British Open, taking a three-shot lead over Beatriz Recari of Spain and former U.S. Women's Open champion So Yeon Ryu going into the weekend. Michelle Wie, coming off her first major in the U.S. Women's Open at Pinehurst No. 2, followed her highest score of the year (75) with one that was even worse, a 78, to miss the cut by three shots. —

Friday's scores

U.S. Senior Open

At Oak Tree National Golf Club

Edmond, Okla.

Purse • TBA ($2.6 million in 2013)

Yardage • 7,219; Par • 71

Second-round leaders

Colin Montgomerie 65-71 — 136

Scott Dunlap 69-68 — 137

Gene Sauers 69-69 — 138

Bernhard Langer 69-69 — 138

Lance Ten Broeck 70-69 — 139

Mark Brooks 68-71 — 139

Jeff Sluman 70-69 — 139

Doug Garwood 70-69 — 139

Vijay Singh 69-71 — 140

Wes Short Jr. 73-68 — 141

Tom Lehman 72-69 — 141

Kirk Triplett 69-72 — 141

David Frost 71-71 — 142

Marco Dawson 66-76 — 142

Olin Browne 70-72 — 142

Woody Austin 72-70 — 142

Tom Kite 73-70 — 143

Esteban Toledo 73-70 — 143

Sonny Skinner 73-70 — 143

Joey Sindelar 72-71 — 143

Barry Lane 74-69 — 143

Robin Byrd 77-67 — 144

Joe Durant 71-73 — 144

Russ Cochran 70-74 — 144

Rocco Mediate 70-74 — 144

Bart Bryant 71-73 — 144

Steve Pate 72-72 — 144

Chris Williams 72-72 — 144

Kevin Sutherland 73-72 — 145

Loren Roberts 73-72 — 145

Brad Bryant 73-72 — 145

Corey Pavin 72-73 — 145

Philip Golding 72-74 — 146

Scott Hoch 75-71 — 146

Michael Allen 73-73 — 146

Bill Glasson 73-73 — 146

Tom Byrum 71-75 — 146

Peter Senior 73-73 — 146

a-Jeff Wilson 70-76 — 146 Also (failed to make cut) Dan Forsman 76-74 — 150

PGA-John Deere Classic

At TPC Deere Run

Silvis, Ill.

Purse • $4.7 million

Yardage • 7,268; Par • 71 (35-36)

(a-amateur)

Second-round leaders

William McGirt 64-66 — 130

Zach Johnson 63-67 — 130

Steven Bowditch 64-67 — 131

Johnson Wagner 66-65 — 131

Brian Harman 63-68 — 131

Steve Stricker 68-65 — 133

Todd Hamilton 64-69 — 133

Ryan Moore 66-67 — 133

Rory Sabbatini 63-70 — 133

Jerry Kelly 66-68 — 134

Robert Streb 65-69 — 134

Charles Howell III 66-68 — 134

Kevin Na 68-66 — 134

Kevin Tway 65-69 — 134

Bud Cauley 67-67 — 134 Also

Daniel Summerhays 69-68 — 137 Women's British Open

At Royal Birkdale Golf Club

Southport, England

Purse • $3 million

Yardage • 6,458; Par • 72

Second-round leaders

a-amateur

Mo Martin 69-69 — 138

Beatriz Recari 74-67 — 141

So Yeon Ryu 71-70 — 141

Sun-Ju Ahn 75-67 — 142

Julieta Granada 72-70 — 142

Ariya Jutanugarn 75-68 — 143

Gwladys Nocera 73-70 — 143

Amelia Lewis 72-71 — 143

Amy Yang 71-72 — 143

Eun-Hee Ji 74-70 — 144