CHAMPIONS TOUR Nelson's birdie putt on 18 provides lead at Hickory Classic

Joe Inman is right behind after a tour career-low of 63.
CONOVER, N.C. (AP) -- Larry Nelson's 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole Saturday gave him a one-shot lead after two rounds of the Greater Hickory Classic on the Champions Tour.
Nelson, the first-round co-leader, finished with a 69 for a 36-hole total of 11-under 133 at the Rock Barn course. He was one stroke ahead of Joe Inman, who shot a tour career-low 63 with nine birdies, and Bob Gilder, who also shot a 69.
James Mason (69), Craig Stadler (69) and Stewart Ginn (67) were tied for fourth at 135.
Nelson's up-and-down round included three birdies on the front nine as well as Nos. 12 and 18.
"I've made three bogeys this week, and they've all been 6s," Nelson said. "If I'd played the par-5s better this week, I'd have better than a one-shot lead."
No longer way back
Inman started seven shots behind first-round co-leaders Nelson and Bruce Fleisher. With six birdies over the first seven holes, he had a 30 on the front nine of the 7,065-yard Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed course.
Inman, whose best round in 13 years on the PGA Tour was a 62 at the 1978 Greater Hartford Open, picked up his ninth birdie of the day at the par-5 14th and held the outright lead at 10-under until Nelson birdied No. 12.
"The 14th is a very tough driving hole, and [Friday] I laid up with a rescue [club] right into the lake," said Inman, who hit 12 of 14 fairways and had just 22 putts. "Today I said to myself, 'Don't be a coward; stand in there and die a fiery death. If you're going in the lake, you're going in with a driver.' "
Inman split the fairway with his drive, hit his second shot through the green into a sand trap and made a 5-foot putt for birdie after his blast from the bunker struck David Eger's ball and stopped near the hole.
Paired with Gilder, Nelson lost three strokes to his playing partner with a bogey to Gilder's eagle at 7, but moved back to 9-under with a birdie at the par-4 8th.
"There are a lot of guys in this ball game," Gilder said. "I think I'll have to go out and shoot 5- or 6-under to have a chance of winning."
Fleisher made double bogey on the final hole en route to a 76 and was seven shots off the lead.
Tom Kite shot a 64 that included nine birdies and an eagle but he trailed Nelson by five strokes.