Defending champion Colin Montgomerie carded another two-under-par 68 to lie one shot off the lead at the halfway stage of the US Senior Open in Sacramento.
Montgomerie opened with a 68 at Del Paso Country Club on Thursday and repeated the feat a day later to stay within touching distance of leaders Tom Watson, Peter Fowler and Jeff Maggert.
The Scot, who beat Gene Sauers in a three-hole play-off in Edmond, Oklahoma last year, recorded three birdies and a bogey in a second-round 68 to lie just a single shot behind the trio, who share the lead on five-under-par after 36 holes.
Montgomerie, the only Champions Tour member to make the cut at last week’s US Open at Chambers Bay, parred the first eight holes of his second round but birdied the par-four ninth to at last reach under-par territory on the day.
A bogey at the par-four 13th brought him back to level-par but he responded immediately with a birdie at the par-three 14th before picking up another shot at the par-four 16th.