Golf Roundup : Halldorson Shoots a 68 to Keep Lead in Heritage

Canadian Dan Halldorson birdied three holes in a row in the early going, shot a 68 and clung to a one-stroke lead Friday at the halfway point of the $450,000 Sea Pines Heritage golf tournament at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

“I have a good swing, good tempo. I’m hitting the ball the way I want to, and it feels natural,” Halldorson said after completing two trips over the Harbour Town Golf Links in 134, eight under par.

“That’s six straight rounds in the 60s. It’d be nice to do it for two more days,” said Halldorson, who last week won a tournament in Hattiesburg, Miss., for players not invited to the Masters.

“But I’m very happy just to be under par going into Saturday,” Halldorson said.

A single stroke off the pace in the chase for an $81,000 first prize was Don Pooley, the 1985 Vardon Trophy winner, who birdied five of his first seven holes on the way to a 66 and a 135 total.

Pooley, who needed only 22 putts, said: “I knew I was putting well, but I didn’t know how well until I added up the putts.”

Fuzzy Zoeller, a winner at Pebble Beach earlier this season, shot another 68 on the tight, little course overlooking Calibogue Sound and was at 136.

Chip Beck had a 67 and was at 137. Greg Norman, the Australian who was runner-up in the Masters last week, was another shot back after shooting a 68.

The group at 139 included former Heritage winner Doug Tewell, Mike Sullivan, Curtis Strange and Roger Maltbie. Maltbie shot 72, despite a triple-bogey 7 on the 11th where he got tangled up in the trees. Strange had a 70, and Tewell and Sullivan matched 69s.

Halldorson, who has led or shared the lead all the way, chipped within six inches for a birdie 4 on the second hole, then birdied the third from about five feet and rolled in a 20-footer on the fourth.

He played par golf--matching two bogeys with as many birdies on the back nine--the rest of the way and retained the top spot.

“I just lost concentration for a little and hit a couple of shots to the right. But I came right back with birdies,” he said.

At Cannes, France, Severiano Ballesteros of Spain, rallying from a poor start, shot a 69 to tie South African John Bland for the lead at 139 after two rounds of the $150,000 Cannes Open. Bland shot a 71.

Overnight leader Magnus Persson of Sweden slipped to 141 after a second-round 74 on the 6,172-yard course. He was joined by Irishman Des Smyth and Briton Dave Russell, each of whom had a 71, and Briton Neil Hansen, whose 68 was the best round of the day. Next was Britain’s Ian Woosnam at 142 after a 71.

American Brad Sherfy of Los Angeles, who shared fourth place overnight after a 69, carded an 82 for a 151, missing the cut by one shot.