By Dave Shedloski

Hutchinson, Kan. – Don Pooley knew full well he was in trouble. With three holes to play Friday at Prairie Dunes Country Club in his second round in the U.S. Senior Open, the 2003 champion stood at 8 over par, one over the projected cut.

"I figured I was not looking good," he said. "But I also knew that if I just played halfway decently, played my game, I could probably get a birdie or two. But turning it around on a tough course isn't easy."

Pooley, 54, of Tucson, Ariz., made it look kind of easy, however. He birdied the par-5 seventh hole from 15 feet, saved par with a good two-putt at the difficult eighth, and then birdied No. 9, another tough par 4, by converting a 4-footer after a 7-iron approach. The late surge enabled him to shoot a 1-over-par 71 and come in at 6-over 146, safely in.

"I putted horribly all day until those last three holes," said Pooley, who had 32 putts Friday, one more than his opening round. "I don't know where I found it, but I'm glad I did."

Of course, most aren't so lucky; 156 players start the championship, but the cut is set at the low 60 scores and ties plus anyone within 10 shots of the lead.

Jim Colbert was one of 95 players to miss the cut. (Steve Gibbons/USGA)

Sixty-one players survived to play two more rounds at Prairie Dunes, with the cut coming at 7-over-par 147. The number had fluctuated between 7 and 8 over for most of the afternoon. With leader Tom Watson at 4 under par, players 8 over and higher found no solace or salvation from the 10-shot rule.

Among the 61 was one amateur among the 32 in the field: Randy Reifers of Columbus, Ohio. Reifers, 59, playing in his first Senior Open, carded a 73 for a 4-over 144 total. He automatically wins low amateur honors for the championship. Pat Tallent of Vienna, Va., the low amateur in 2004, almost joined him to make it three-for-three on cuts. But after a birdie at 17, he safely two-putted from 15 feet for par at 18 for his second 74 and 148 aggregate. He didn't learn until finished it wasn't good enough.

"We kept hearing it would be eight. If I'd have known it was seven, I wouldn't have lagged my first putt," Tallent said glumly and a bit in disbelief.

Other success stories belonged to Walter Hall and Bob Charles. Hall made the 14th hole-in-one in U.S. Senior Open history when he aced No. 10, his first hole of the day. He used a 7-iron from 172 yards. The ace was critical; he shot 77 and made the cut on the number. Charles, 70 years old and was making his first start in the championship in five years, eked out a 72 Friday and also nosed in with 147.

Former champions Gary Player, Bruce Fleischer and Dale Douglass were sent packing, while '92 winner Larry Laoretti withdrew in the middle of his second round.

One of seven men to win the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open, Player missed consecutive cuts in this championship for the first time, tacking an 80 onto his opening 76 for a 156 total. Player, who won back-to-back Senior Opens in 1987-88, posted his worst score in missing weekend play for the fourth time in seven years. "I still feel like my game is pretty good. I shoot my age often," said the 70-year-old Player. "Obviously, I didn't play my best golf here."

Douglass, the '86 champ, shot 77-73-150. Fleischer, who won the '01 title, was at 149 after a 73.

David Eger, who won the 1988 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Prairie Dunes, couldn't rekindle the magic this week. After making the cut the last two years, Eger fell a shot shy despite improving six shots from his opening 77 and ended up at 8-over 148. Former U.S. Amateur champ John Harris, who won his first Champions Tour title two weeks ago, also finished 8 over after a 72.

Even players who have the chance to stick around for the weekend weren't exactly sure how they felt about it. As he walked to the scoring trailer following a 71, Jim Thorpe remarked, "If I had a white towel in my hands right now, I'd wave it."