Golf Roundup : Judy Clark Shoots 69; Lopez One Back

Judy Clark, winless in eight seasons on the Ladies Professional Golf Assn. tour, shot a three-under-par 69 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over Nancy Lopez and newcomer Nancy Scranton in the first round of the $255,000 Rochester International golf tournament at Locust Hill Country Club in Pittsford, N.Y.

The first round was plagued by poor conditions as the temperatures never rose above 54 degrees, winds were swirling and play was postponed two hours in the morning because of wet grounds. Fairways were soggy, and crews had to pump standing water out of some bunkers before play began.

Clark made four birdies on the front nine, then played even on the back nine until the par-four final hole. She buried her tee shot in the soft 18th fairway, knocked a short chip shot 10 feet past the cup and two-putted for a bogey.

Lopez had four birdies and a pair of bogeys.

Scranton, who joined the tour in October 1984, played a strong round with four birdies but had consecutive bogeys on the relatively easy 11th and 12th holes.

Tied at 71 were LPGA money leader Alice Miller, Rosie Jones, Barbra Mizrahie and Sue Ertl.

Kimberly Gardner of the United States defeated 1981 winner Belle Robertson of Scotland on the 20th hole to reach the quarterfinals of the British Women’s Amateur championship at Glanton, England .

Earlier, the New Yorker needed 19 holes to eliminate Flori Prono of Northridge, Calif., in their first-round match.

The only other overseas survivor to reach the quarterfinals was 51-year-old Canadian Marlene Streit, who beat 1983 champion Jill Thornhill, 4 and 3, in the second round. Streit, winner of the title in 1953, is the only former champion left in the field.