O’Grady Goes Quietly Ahead by 3 Strokes

Mac O’Grady maintained his silence and increased his lead in the $500,000 Byron Nelson golf tournament Friday.

O’Grady, who refused to talk to the media after his first-round 63 Thursday, shot a two-under-par 69 at the Las Colinas Sports Club in Irving, Tex.

His two-round total of 132 put him three shots ahead of Bob Eastwood, who had a 66 for the best round of the day; Buddy Gardner, who shot a 68, and Peter Oosterhuis, who had a 69.

Tom Watson finished with a 69 and was four shots off the pace. Also at 136 was John Cook, who had a 70.

Meanwhile, O’Grady declined to be interviewed by reporters, once breaking into a trot to escape an interviewer with a microphone.

While O’Grady was not eager to talk, others were willing to talk about him.

“Do you want some good Mac O’Grady stories?” asked Oosterhuis. “There are some bizarre stories.

“I probably shouldn’t say anything because Mac takes everything to heart. But you never know whether he is going to complete his round or withdraw.

“He might fire his caddy in the middle of the round. He’s been through more caddies than anybody in the short time (three years) he’s been out here.”

O’Grady, however, was in a good mood Friday. He joked with the gallery and cheered his playing partners.

Alice Miller sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a six-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead in the first round of a $200,000 women’s tournament at the Sleepy Hole Golf Course in Suffolk, Va.

Tied at 67 were Jane Geddes, Therese Hession and Marta Figueras-Dotti.