Conover, NC (My Sportsbook) - Tom Jenkins fired a seven-under 65 on Saturday to join overnight leader and defending champion R.W. Eaks atop the leaderboard after two rounds of the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn.

Jenkins matched Eaks, who followed his amazing 61 on Friday with a four-under 68 in round two, at 15-under 129. The pair owns a four-shot lead over Gil Morgan, who posted a 66 on Saturday.

Mark Wiebe is alone in fourth at minus-10 after a five-under 67 in the second round. Tom McKnight shot a three-under 69 and is in fifth place at nine-under- par 135.

Jenkins trailed Eaks by three at the start of the round, but Eaks rattled of back-to-back birdies to start his round. Jenkins got back within three after two birdies in a row from No. 3.

Both players birdied the par-five seventh, but Jenkins cut the gap with a birdie at the eighth. At the ninth, Jenkins sank a seven-footer for birdie and found himself one behind.

That deficit was short-lived.

Jenkins ran home an eight-foot birdie putt at the 10th to pull even with Eaks. Jenkins moved one ahead after a five-foot birdie putt at 11, his fourth consecutive birdie and sixth in the round.

"My mindset was to keep up with him a little bit," acknowledged Jenkins. "He had a hot round yesterday. The way he started out, it looked like he might run away with it today."

Jenkins had a great look at a fifth straight birdie at the par-four 12th. He knocked his approach to six feet, but his birdie effort slid by on the right side.

Jenkins found some trouble at the 14th. He holed a tough 10-footer for par, but Eaks matched him atop the leaderboard thanks to a five-foot birdie putt of his own on the par-five hole.

Neither player converted makable birdie putts at the 15th, and Jenkins found trouble at 16. From the middle of the fairway, he yanked a pitching-wedge second shot into a greenside bunker. He blasted out to nine feet, but failed to hole the par save.

Down by one, Jenkins came up short with his second at the par-five closing hole. He hit an average pitch that came to rest nine feet shy of the flag stick.

Eaks missed the green left, but got his third inside Jenkins' ball. Jenkins rolled in his birdie putt to tie, then Eaks' birdie effort for sole possession of the lead stayed above ground.

For Eaks, it was a good round, although nothing near his almost historic round on Friday. Jenkins was spectacular in all phases of his game Saturday.

"I'm driving the ball well, hitting some good, close iron shots," said Jenkins, who lost the ACE Group Classic this year in a playoff. "I'm just trying to be up there with 'W' (Eaks) tomorrow."

The two are tied atop the leaderboard with Eaks looking for his second win of the year and fourth on the Champions Tour. Jenkins owns seven victories on the elder circuit, but has not visited the winner's circle since 2006.

Mark McNulty (69), Gene Jones (68), Bruce Vaughan (70) and Tradition winner Fred Funk (71) are knotted in sixth place at minus-eight.