3M Championship notes

Four shots back to start Saturday, Miguel Angel Jimenez fired a 9-under-par 63. The round included a "perfect" 3-wood into the 18th green that he turned into an exclamation point with a 17-foot eagle putt. Jimenez birdied six holes in a row in the middle of his round, a streak that featured a fantastic sand save to 2 feet and a winding 24-foot downhill birdie.

Kevin Sutherland trails by a stroke, and put himself there because of his putting. He made three birdie putts of 25 feet or longer.

• Jimenez and Colin Montgomerie have one-putted 20 of 36 holes.

• Bernhard Langer had played the previous 26 holes in 11 under par before a double bogey on No. 18 dropped him into a tie for 10th.

• Peter Jacobsen withdrew before Round 2 with an ankle injury.

No. 7, 318-yard par-4

Forty-one of the 79 players in the field made a birdie here, and only one carded a bogey. Three players made eagle at No. 7, lowering the scoring average to more than half a stroke under par.

— 2010 3M Championship winner David Frost, who shot a 64 Saturday.

Up and down with Marco Dawson

The 2015 Senior British Open winner made eight birdies Saturday to reach 5 under this weekend.

Q This is the first time since 2010 the 3M isn't played immediately following the Senior British Open. How much of a difference does that make for players?

A Going west is not as hard as going east. The fact that these events here don't start until Friday, we get a break no matter what. So I don't think it's that big of a deal the last two years I've been here. Last year I was coming off a win; two years ago I had to come here and qualify after being over there and made it.

A You know, having to qualify for events was actually a blessing. It's an extra round of golf, and if you get in, that means you're playing well. I told [Round 1 leader] Glen Day after I saw him shoot 7-under in the qualifier that he was going to play well this week. I did the same thing two years ago. The qualifier is the hardest part. Once you're in, it's three free rounds. The pressure is off and you can freewheel it. I actually miss that part.

Q Other than that, what's been the biggest difference since winning a major?

A When I'm struggling I can always look back on it. I didn't win much, and now I've won [twice] out here. I can think back to all the good shots I hit and putts I made. That always helps.