Irwin Isn’t Impressed, Just Impressive

Hale Irwin saw his name at the top of the leaderboard and almost apologized.

Irwin, a nonwinner for more than a year, had a second bogey-free round of four-under-par 68 Friday and built a four-shot at the midway point of the $600,000 Memorial tournament at Dublin, Ohio.

“It wasn’t the spectacular shot-making you might expect in a bogey-free round,” said Irwin, who was at 136. “I was able to make the saving pars when I had to.

“It was not as if I was knocking the pins down on every shot. But then, Muirfield Village is not the course on which you shoot at the pins every time. It suggests you play to the fat part of the green, away from the trouble spots. Generally, that’s what I tried to do.”

South African Nick Price, Canadian Dave Barr and Bill Kratzert were tied for second at 140. Price, who played his first nine holes of the tournament in 40, rallied for a 67, best round of the day.

Kratzert shot a 71, and Barr had a 72 despite bogeys on two of the last three holes.

Lon Hinkle and Jim Simons, who shared the first-round lead at 67, dropped back. Hinkle had a 75 and led a large group at 142. Also at that figure was Gil Morgan, who had an erratic round of 72 that included five birdies, an eagle, three bogeys and two double-bogeys.

Simons had a 77.

Sherri Turner shot a 67 and widened her lead to two strokes at the halfway point of a $250,000 LPGA tournament at Corning, N.Y., posting an 11-under-par 133 that broke the tournament’s 36-hole record by five shots.

Turner, seeking her first victory in two years on the tour, had six birdies and a bogey. Turner held off Beth Daniel, who shot a 66 for a two-round total of 135.

Daniel had seven birdies and a bogey, which came when she three-putted the seventh green. Her 31 on the par-36 back nine tied a record held by two past champions, Donna Caponi in 1980 and Patty Sheehan in 1983.

Muffin Spencer-Devlin was at 136 after a second-round 67, followed at 137 by Patti Rizzo, No. 3 money-winner Pat Bradley, Julie Inkster and Lynn Crafter of Australia, whose 64 was one stroke off the course record.

Sheehan had a 73 for a 147 and missed the cut for the first time in 110 events.

USC’s Sam Randolph slipped to a two-over-par 74 but maintained a three-shot lead over Clark Burroughs of Ohio State in the 88th NCAA Men’s Championships at Haines City, Fla.

Randolph is at 211 through 54 rounds.

Oklahoma State, led by All-American Scott Verplank, shot a third-round team score of one-over-par 289 to make up 11 strokes on defending champion Houston. Houston leads by one shot heading into today’s final round.

U.S. Amateur champion Deb Richard of Florida settled down after a shaky start and clung to a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the NCAA Women’s Championships at New Seabury, Mass.

Richard equaled par 73 for a 54-hole total of 219. Furman sophomore Dottie Pepper shot a 72 but missed a chance for a share of the lead when she overshot the 18th green and took a bogey-5.