RICHMOND, Va. – The other left-handed, 50-year-old former Masters champion was on top after a long Saturday at The Country Club of Virginia.
While Phil Mickelson got most of the attention going into the Dominion Energy Charity Classic as he tries to open his senior career with consecutive victories, Mike Weir was a little better on a 36-hole day after rain washed out play Friday. The Canadian shot 68-63 to reach 13 under and take a three-stroke lead over Mickelson.
“I’m super happy with the way I played today,” said Weir. “My mindset going into today knowing we had 36, I wanted to get in a nice rhythm for the day because there’s so many holes. If you get in a nice rhythm, you can kind of ride it and I did that, I got in a nice rhythm.”
Mickelson shot 68-66. He won his PGA Tour Champions debut at Ozarks National in August.
Weir won the 2003 Masters for the biggest of his eight PGA Tour titles.
Fellow major champion Retief Goosen was third at 8 under with Brandt Jobe. They each shot 68-68.
Bernhard Langer, the first-round leader after a 67, was 7 under with Wes Short Jr. (69-68) after a second-round 70.
And here’s @mweirsy to take the lead on the @ChampionsTour 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/yxdgse2yIC
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) October 17, 2020
Ernie Els, the 50-year-old former major champion coming off his second victory of the season last week in North Carolina, shot 72-66 to get to 6 under.
Jim Furyk, another 50-year-old former major champion who won in his first two senior starts, was 5 under after rounds of 71 and 68 alongside Mickelson and defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Jimenez was 1 under, shooting 74-69.