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Paul Broadhurst holds Champions' lead

By The Sports Xchange
Lee Janzen is two strokes back and withing striking distance at the PGA Tour Champions event in Madison, Wis. Photo by Scott R. Galvin/UPI Photo
Lee Janzen is two strokes back and withing striking distance at the PGA Tour Champions event in Madison, Wis. Photo by Scott R. Galvin/UPI Photo | License Photo

Paul Broadhurst recorded two late birdies to maintain a two-stroke lead Saturday in the PGA Tour Champions' American Family Insurance Open in Madison, Wis.

Broadhurst maintained his lead and finished the round at 3-under 69 while effectively playing through windy conditions.

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The 51-year-old Englishman recorded birdies on the par-5 16th hole and again on the par-3 17th hole. He ended his round with a bogey on the par-4 18th and finished Saturday at 12-under 132.

Broadhurst kept the lead after opening the tournament with a 63 on Friday.

"There's no magic to think about," Broadhurst said. "It's just try and get some rest if you can and come out and hope the game's in good shape tomorrow. ... The rhythm went a little bit with the wind. It always does. I find it difficult to keep the rhythm smooth when it's really windy. I know what the problem is, so I can fix it for tomorrow."

Lee Janzen and Scott Verplank each shot 66. Steve Stricker shot a 69 and is at 9 under along with Fred Couples (68) and Gene Sauers (66).

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"I was very happy with 6 under," Verplank said. "It was pretty tough. The wind's blowing pretty hard and kind of whipping around through the trees. So yeah, I scored very well today. I live in Oklahoma City and I grew up in Dallas, so it's usually pretty windy there. I don't necessarily say I like playing in the wind, but I'm kind of used to it. I just dealt with that pretty well."

Stricker turned 50 in February and appeared in his first Champions tour event after finishing tied for 16th at last weekend's U.S. Open.

"It was a little bit of a grind out there for me today," Stricker said. "A couple tough holes with the wind conditions. So, it was a good day just to grind it out. Hopefully, come back tomorrow a little more charged up. Felt a little lazy and lackadaisical at times."

Janzen remained within striking distance with birdies on No. 14 and No. 15. He recorded an eagle on the 16th hole.

Couples finished with five birdies on the back nine, including on four of the first holes.

Defending champion Kirk Triplett shot a 73 and dropped into a tie for 41st place while Nick Faldo also shot a 73 in his first Champions Tour event since 2015. Triplett is at 2-under while Faldo is at par.

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