Roberts rips up Players course

He shot an 8-under 64 and leads Lonnie Nielsen by two strokes.
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) -- Lonnie Nielsen finds himself in unfamiliar territory at the Senior Players Championship.
The 53-year-old former New York state club professional never has finished in the top 10 at a Champions Tour major and is 40th on the money list this season.
But after a 6 under 66 on Saturday, Nielsen finds himself in second place at 12 under -- two strokes behind leader Loren Roberts -- heading into the final round of the third major on the schedule.
"I've never done this before, so I'm a little out of my element," said Nielsen, whose best finish on the Champions Tour is a tie for second at last year's 3M Championship.
His best-ever result on the PGA Tour was a tie for fifth in the 1979 Ed McMahon-Jaycees Quad Cities Open.
First time in final group
Nielsen never has played in the final group on the Champions Tour, but that's where he'll find himself Sunday alongside Roberts, who enjoyed a solid round of his own on Saturday.
Roberts -- who a week ago in the U.S. Senior Open set a record for the lowest 18-hole score in a USGA Open championship -- shot an 8-under 64 at the Senior Players.
The 51-year-old Roberts birdied the first two holes and the last three.
Just as he did last Saturday, Roberts carded eight birdies and no bogeys en route to a round of 8 under, but his round last week was accomplished at the par-70 Prairie Dunes layout in Kansas.
The heavy rain that caused play to be halted on Friday softened the fairways and greens at the 7,069-yard, par-72 TPC of Michigan, and Roberts took full advantage.
Roberts, who is second on the tour money list, steadily has improved throughout the tournament, shooting 71 on Thursday, 67 on Friday and 64 on Saturday.
Won three times early
He won his first three tournaments on the Champions Tour this season and also has competed in four events on the PGA Tour. His best finish with the younger guys was 18th place at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
At the U.S. Senior Open, Roberts followed up his 62 with a 3-over 73, good for a tie for eighth place.
"Last week, I got every break on Saturday -- that's how you shoot 62 -- and then didn't get any breaks on Sunday," Roberts said.
Brad Bryant and Dana Quigley were tied for third at 11 under.
"I'm not going to worry about Loren Roberts," said Quigley, who shot a 68 -- his third straight sub-70 round. "The key is there are only a couple guys between me and him. It's all up to me whether I go out and make some putts early tomorrow and put some pressure on the guys."
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