It was a come-from-behind win for DeTemple, who started the day two shots behind overnight leader Larry Nunez (Austin, Tex.). His final-round 71 was his third straight round of par or better, and he was the only player in the field to accomplish the feat.

It wasn't easy though. For the third straight round, DeTemple had a roller coaster ride across PGA West, with six birdies offset by three bogeys and a double. The previous day, he had five birdies but four bogeys; on day one he had four birdies and an eagle but four bogeys and a double.

Nunez, seeking his first major senior win, couldn't get much going in the final round, only managing a single birdie. Still, he was tied with DeTemple with five holes to go before falling back with three late bogeys, closing with a 76 and a third-place finish.

Mike Booker (The Woodlands, Tex.), who started out so hot in the first round with a 7-under 65, never could regain the momentum that he lost in his second round, closing with a 74 and finishing in a tie with Nunez at 1-over 217.

Four other players ended up in the third-place tie, including Robert Funk (67), Michael Turner (69), Charles Anderson (73), and Allen Peake (73).

The defending champion Craig Steinberg (Agoura Hills, Calif.) finished in a tie for 12th at 4-over 220.

Next up for DeTemple is a title defense of his own, at the Senior Masters at nearby Indian Wells Golf Resort.

In the Super Senior division, Patrick Rohan of San Diego was a playoff winner over Rick Herpich (La Quinta, Calif.) after both finished the tournament at 2 under par. Overnight leader Fred Clark (Kingwood, Tex.) and David Pocknall (Katy, Tex.) tied for third, five shots back.

Frank Abbott (Napa, Calif.) completed a wire-to-wire win in the Legends division, clearing the field by seven shots with a 4-under 212 total.

ROUND TWO RECAP

Larry Nunez (Austin, Tex.) shot his second straight under-par round on Friday, following up a 70 with a 71 that has given him a two-shot lead with one round to go at the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West.

Nunez started the day five shots behind the first-round leader Mike Booker (The Woodlands, Tex.), and fell another shot behind with a bogey on the first hole. But he had a clean card after that, with two birdies on the back nine getting him to 3 under for two rounds.

After a 65 on Thursday, Booker came back to the field with a 78 that included two stretches of multiple lost shots. On holes 8-10 he went triple-bogey-double to lose six quick shots, and later had back-to-back doubles at 16 and 17. Still, he is in good shape to win with a good final round on Saturday. He is tied for second with Peter DeTemple (Lexington Park, Md.) who had a 71 in round two.

Three players are tied for fourth at even par: Charles Anderson, Allen Peake, and Rusty Strawn.

In the Super Senior division, Fred Clark (Kingwood, Tex.) shot a 70 to lead Rick Herpich (La Quinta, Calif.) by one shot at 3 under par.

Frank Abbott (Napa, Calif.) maintained his three-shot lead in the Legends division with a round of 71 that puts him--like each the other division leaders--at 3 under par.

ROUND ONE RECAP

Mike Booker (The Woodlands, Tex.) shot an opening round 7-under 65 at the PGA West Nicklaus Tournament Course to take a 5-shot lead after the first round of the Golfweek Senior Amateur.

Booker, a four-time winner of the Carlton Woods Senior Invitational, started off hot in his first-ever appearance in this tournament, with birdies on his first four holes. After turning at 4 under, he added three more birdies on the back nine, completing a bogey-free round.

Three players -- Larry Nunez (Austin, Tex.), Robert Pomerantz (Rancho Mirage, Calif.), and John Pate (Santa Barbara, Calif.) -- share second place at 2-under 70. Don O'Connor (Carlsbad, Calif.) was the only other player under par.

Last year's winner Craig Steinberg (Agoura Hills, Calif.) shot an even-par 72 to sit in a tie for sixth.

In the Super Senior division, the race is much tighter. Fred Clark (Kingwood, Tex.) and Rick Herpich (La Quinta, Calif.) share the lead after rounds of 1-under 71, with eight players within three shots of the lead.

In the Legends division, Frank Abbott (Napa, Calif.) leads by three shots after a first-round 70.