Pate leads seniors at Allianz Championship

BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Jerry Pate holed out an eagle from the fairway at 13 and birdied 18 Saturday to take the 36-hole lead in the seniors' Allianz Championship at Boca Raton, Fla.

Pate shot a second-round, 5-under 67 to post a two-round score of 11-under 133. Scott Hoch was second after also shooting a 67 for a 134.

Mark McNulty, who shared the opening-round lead with Pate, tapped in a birdie putt at 18 before rain hit. He finished at 3-under 69 and is tied for third place with Bruce Lietzke (65), John Cook (66) and Bobby Wadkins (68) at 9-under 135.

The final threesome of Pate, McNulty and Wadkins putted out as a tournament official waited in a cart to sound the horn. He did it to evacuate the galleries, but the second round was complete.

Pate won two weeks ago on the Champions Tour at the Turtle Bay Championship.

Defending champion Mark James (66), Eduardo Romero (67), Jim Thorpe (67) and Ben Crenshaw (68) are tied for seventh place at 8-under 136.