WEST FRANKFORT - A score of 32 on the back nine allowed Lucas Cromeenes to edge fellow Illinois amateur competitor Bryan Warren and give himself the lead heading into today's finale of the 84th annual SIGA Championship at Franklin County Country Club.

Cromeenes' 4-under par 67 on Saturday beat out Warren's 68, accomplished hours before the former wrapped up first-round play in a quartet with Mason Jacobs, another Illinois amateur qualifier, Elijah Sentel and Blaze Ellis.

"I've been putting in a lot of work and it's starting to come together," Cromeenes said. "I've changed from a belly putter to a short putter again and I'm starting to roll (the ball) good."

It has been a very eventful month for Cromeenes, who carded a par-71 to win the Illinois Amateur qualifier at FCCC on July 7. The victory helped spur the Metropolis native's turnaround after saying he wasn't playing great earlier this summer.

"I'm rolling it with a lot of confidence," Cromeenes said. "If I keep hitting it like I am, I'm going to keep giving myself opportunities.

"I'm going to try and keep swinging it like I am and see what happens."

Defending tournament champion Zach Barlow, who won the 2007 contest in a playoff against Andrew Gwinup and Brian Kolmer, had a bit of a rough day in finishing with a 6-over par 77.

"I played horrible," Barlow said. "That was probably the worst round I've played all summer.

Barlow held his own through the first five holes, but bogeyed three of the next four to put him at 3-over par entering the turn. Birdies on 14 and 16 helped, but he bogeyed 17 and 18 to erase the advantage.

"I don't know, I'll keep swinging I guess," said Barlow, when asked how to turn things around today. "(Saturday) was brutal."

The Championship is vital to the SIGA point standings. Tom Portner leads the field with 1,895, but Cromeenes is in second with 1,719. A first-place finish in today's final round is worth 650 points.

"I switched my putter last Sunday at the Lake of Egypt tournament," Cromeenes said. "The putter is definitely what it is."

As it turns out, a bogey on 18 eventually cost Warren a share of the lead. The fifth stroke on the par-4 hole broke a streak of 12 holes of a par or better score after bogeying No. 5. He will tee off with Cromeenes, Jake Smock, who cared a 69 to take third, and Elijah Sentel, who finished fourth with a 70, at 10:56. Complete results are available online at www.sigagolf.org.

pete.spitler@thesouthern.com/ 351-5073