Nielsen's 64 gives him Commerce Bank lead

East Meadow, NY (Sports Network) - Lonnie Nielsen fired a seven-under 64 on Saturday to move into the lead after two rounds of the Commerce Bank Championship.
He finished 36 holes at 12-under-par 130, which was two off Jim Thorpe's tournament record, and is three clear of Tom McKnight, who shot a second-round 66 at the Red Course at Eisenhower Park.
Defending champion John Harris is still in the hunt. He shot his second consecutive four-under 67 on Saturday and is tied for third place with Jay Sigel, who carded a 66, at minus-eight.
Nielsen did not get off to a great start on Saturday with a bogey at the second hole. He atoned for the error with a birdie at the par-five third, then joined a packed house atop the leaderboard with a birdie at the sixth.
A few players moved into first place at seven-under par, Nielsen joined them there with a birdie at the ninth. It was his stellar play on the back nine that gave him his three-stroke cushion.
At the par-four 11th, Nielsen ran home a 12-foot birdie putt to move into the lead at eight-under par. He reached the par-five 12th green in two with a five-iron and two-putted from 40 feet for his second birdie in a row.
Nielsen took a brief break from making birdies with a par at 13, but got right back to it with a birdie at 14. He knocked his second to three feet to set up another birdie at the 15th.
"I hit some really great irons on the back side," said Nielsen. "Fourteen and 15 especially, I knocked them right in there close where I could brush them in."
Nielsen played some smart golf at the difficult, par-three 16th. He hit a six- iron 30 feet short of the flagstick and lagged his birdie try to tap-in par range.
Nielsen missed the green with his second shot at the par-five 17th. He elected to putt his third from the collection area and the decision paid off for Nielsen. He putted five feet from the hole, then converted that putt for a birdie and a three-shot lead at minus-12.
At the par-four closing hole, Nielsen appeared to be in some trouble. He drove into the right rough and missed the green with his second. Once again, Nielsen pulled out his flat stick and once again lagged the putt to five feet. He sank the par putt and will take a three-shot lead into Sunday.
The final round will be a test for Nielsen, who celebrated his 54th birthday on Friday. He has never won on the Champions Tour and his best finish was a pair of runner-ups, including a playoff loss to Eduardo Romero at last year's Tradition.
Nielsen admitted that when he saw his name near the top of the leaderboard on Saturday, it might have thrown him slightly off his game.
"I did early in the going and felt so out of sorts," admitted Nielsen. "It seemed like there were so many things going on and I just wasn't paying attention. After the third hole, I decided to stick my nose to the grindstone, see how I can shoot and look at the scoreboard later."
Overnight-leader Loren Roberts only managed an even-par 71 on Saturday. He is tied for fifth place with R.W. Eaks (66), David Edwards (67), Bob Gilder (67) and Brad Bryant (68) at minus-seven.
Romero (71), Curtis Strange (68) and Bruce Summerhays (65) are knotted in 10th at six-under-par 136.