Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship: Second-round notes

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TIMONIUM, Md. -- It's shaping up to be quite a weekend at the Champions Tour's final major of the year, the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship. Five of the top eight names on the leaderboard after 36 holes won major events in their PGA TOUR careers.

Nick Price jumped from a tie for 30th all the way into a tie for fifth on Friday. (Cohen/Getty Images)

Inside the Numbers

36-Hole Leaderboard

Player Score 1. Ben Crenshaw 133 -7 2. Fred Funk 134 -6 T3. Gene Jones 135 -5 T3. Tom Jenkins 135 -5 T5. Mark O'Meara 136 -4 T5. John Morse 136 -4 T5. Bernhard Langer 136 -4 T5. Nick Price 136 -4 T9. D.A. Weibring 137 -3 T9. Andy Bean 137 -3 T9. Jay Haas 137 -3 T9. Scott Hoch 137 -3 T9. Scott Simpson 137 -3

• Ben Crenshaw, the overall leader, claimed the 1984, 1995 Masters as well as 17 other PGA TOUR events. Fred Funk, currently in second place behind Crenshaw, won the 2005 Players Championship as well as seven other PGA TOUR titles. Mark O'Meara (tied for fifth) has 16 victories on the PGA TOUR that include the 1998 Masters and British Open.

• Bernhard Langer's (tied for fifth) three PGA TOUR titles include the 1985, 1993 Masters and Nick Price's (tied for fifth) 18 wins on the PGA TOUR include the 1992 PGA Championship, 1993 Players Championship, 1994 British Open and 1994 PGA Championship.

• Ben Crenshaw's 4-under 66 was his best score in a major championship since he posted the same number in the third round of the 2006 U.S. Senior Open. Crenshaw holds the 36-hole lead at this year's Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship, a first for him on the Champions Tour. The last time he was a leader/co-leader through two rounds on the PGA TOUR was at the 1995 Memorial Tournament (tied with Robert Gamez). He eventually finished tied for fifth in that event at Muirfield Village.

• On the Champions Tour, Crenshaw also held the 36-hole lead at the 2007 Toshiba Classic, where he went on to tie for third, and the 2007 MasterCard Championship, where he went on to tie for 13th.

• Ben Crenshaw and Fred Funk, the top two names on the leaderboard, have identical stats in three important categories through 36 holes. Both players have hit 24 of 28 fairways, 28 of 36 greens in regulation and have 57 total putts. Both players have also made nine birdies through the first two rounds.

• Second-round leaders/co-leaders have claimed seven of the last 18 Constellation Energy Senior Players Championships, including four of the last 11 events. Last year at Baltimore Country Club, Loren Roberts was at 7-under 133 after 36 holes and led Scott Hoch by two shots. Roberts went on to post a six-stroke victory over Tom Watson.

• Friday's scoring average of 71.117 was higher than the second-round stroke average for the field last year (70.462) and more than a half-stroke higher than Thursday's field scoring average (70.449). On Friday, a total of 18 players recorded sub-par rounds and 34 professionals finished at par/better. On Thursday, 29 players recorded sub-par rounds and 43 players finished at par or better.

• Through 36 holes this year, 27 of the 77 players in the field are under par. Last year after two rounds, 21 players in the field were under par.

• Nick Price's 4-under 66 Friday allowed him to make the biggest move of any player in the field. Price started second-round play in a tie for 30th but finished the day 25 spots higher in a tie for fifth.

• For the second consecutive day, the 427-yard, par-4 first hole on the East Course at Baltimore Country Club was the hardest in Round 1 (4.416 vs. 4.321 on Thursday). Through 36 holes, the hole has yielded just six birdies. The 496-yard, par-4 18th hole played as the second-hardest Friday (4.390), yielding only five birdies. The 583-yard, par-5 fourth hole again played as the easiest (4.649 vs. 4.679 Thursday). Four players made eagles there (Gene Jones, Scott Simpson, Bob Gilder, Mike Goodes) and there were 23 birdies.

• Statistical News and Notes: Through 36 holes, John Morse has hit the most fairways off the tee (26 of 28). .. Tom Kite and Gene Jones lead the field in greens hit in regulation (30 of 36). ... Denis Watson has had just 55 putts and Nick Price has one-putted 18 greens. ... Chip Beck eagled the par-4 16th hole Friday. ... Nick Price and Scott Simpson had the only bogey-free rounds of the day.

• Craig Stadler, the 2003 Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship winner, withdrew after seven holes Friday with a hip injury. Stadler was at 6 over at the time of his withdrawal.

• Saturday's third round begins at 8:50 a.m. ET with all 77 players in the field going off the No. 1 tee.