HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The local fans made Tom Watson feel every bit like the hometown favorite.

Delighting the biggest gallery on the course, the popular Kansas City native shot a 4-under-par 66 yesterday on the short-but-unforgiving Prairie Dunes layout and seized a 1-stroke lead after two rounds of the U.S. Senior Open.

Watson, who makes his home about four hours northeast of the course, had 11 one-putt greens to go to 4-under 136 for the tournament.

Bunched one stroke behind him were Morris Hatalsky, Bob Gilder, Mark James and defending champion Allen Doyle.

"This certainly is a homer crowd right here," said Watson, a crowd pleaser whenever he competes in the area. "It's been great. I saw quite a few people here I hadn't seen for a while. They all came to Prairie Dunes to see me play. It's fun to play in front of your home crowd."

Hatalsky shot a 67 while Gilder birdied the last two holes for a 66 that tied Watson and Peter Jacobsen for the day's best round.

James and Doyle squandered a chance to catch Watson when they both missed par putts of about 8 feet on their finishing holes.

First-round co-leaders Jay Haas and Dave Barr had terrible days after shooting 67 on Thursday. Haas, the Champion Tour's top money winner, shot 75 — leaving him six strokes off the lead, while kept finding the high rough that sent his score soaring to 76.

Hawai'i's David Ishii shot 77—157 and missed the cutoff score of 147.