KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii >> Dan Forsman birdied six holes on the back nine Saturday to take the lead after two rounds of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.

Forsman fired a 7-under-par 65. He is at 12-under 132 for the tournament going into Sunday’s final round of the Champions Tour’s season-opening event.

Brad Bryant had the day’s low round, an 8-under 64. He is tied for second, two shots back, with 2010 champion Tom Watson (65) and Jeff Sluman (66).

Forsman was back in the pack after playing the front nine in 35. He caught fire on the back, birdieing Nos. 10 and 11.

He pulled into a tie for first with birdies at Nos. 13 and 14, then pulled ahead by sinking an 11-foot birdie putt at the 17th and hitting to within 2 feet on the final hole. He needed just 21 putts in his round.

Forsman has won twice on the 50-and-older tour, in his first full season (2009) and again in 2010. He finished among the top 10 money winners both years, but dropped to 45th last year.

Bryant played Hualalai bogey-free, chipping in for two of his eight birdies. His last win was the 2007 U.S. Senior Open.

Watson also avoided bogeys and eagled the 10th hole. At 62 years, 4 months and 18 days old, he would be the third-oldest winner in Champions Tour history if he pulls it off Sunday. Watson has eight top-10 finishes in 11 previous starts in this winners-only event.

Michael Allen and Jay Haas are tied for fifth, three shots back. Defending champion John Cook fired a 66 to share seventh with Jay Don Blake, Denis Watson, Loren Roberts and Bruce Vaughan, who was tied for first after the opening round with 2011 Player of the Year Tom Lehman.

Lehman was one of 12 players, in a field of 41, who did not break par Saturday. His even-par 72 puts him in a tie for 12th, four shots back, with Russ Cochran.

Fred Couples is another shot back after a bogey-free 66 got him to 6-under 138.