Kenny Perry recovers to earn share of lead at U.S. Senior Open

Kenny Perry recovered in a big way after starting the second round with two bogeys, finishing with eight birdies on the way to a 6-under 64 and a share of the lead at the U.S. Senior Open on Friday in Peabody, Mass.

Tied with Perry atop the leaderboard is Kirk Triplett, the first-round leader who followed a 64 on Thursday with a 67 at Salem Country Club. Triplett and Perry were at 11-under 129, breaking by one stroke the 36-hole record set by Michael Allen in 2013.

The second round was suspended because of stormy weather. Twenty-four players who didn't complete play will return to the course early Saturday morning to finish before the third round begins.

Two shots behind the leaders at 131 was Doug Garwood, who posted a 67 in the second round.

Tied for fourth were Scott Verplank and German Bernhard Langer at 132.

Verplank shot a 66 and Langer a 65 on Friday.

Another shot back was a group that included Tom Lehman and Fred Couples. Lehman carded a 68 and Couples a 65 in the second round.

Perry's rocky start put him eight shots out of the lead. But he gradually made up ground on Triplett, starting with three straight birdies on Nos. 5-8 and another birdie to close the front nine. He added four birdies on the back nine to claim his share of the lead.

"I just started thinking (that) I've got to figure out a way to settle myself down," Perry said. "Most of the time, you take off poorly, you stay in that funk. I just didn't need to let two holes determine the outcome of my tournament."

Langer, the winner of the first two majors on the Champions tour this year, is feeling good about where he's positioned going into the third round.

"But there's a lot of great players around me," he said. "I mean, let's not kid each other. I just saw the leaderboard. The top eight or 10 guys is pretty big names and great players."

Tom Watson was going to make the cut at age 67 with a second consecutive 69. Defending champion Gene Sauers was 5 over and not expected to make the cut, which was projected at 1 over.