Walker, Rittenhouse 1-2 at StoneRidge : But Stars Lopez, Sheehan Are Lurking Just Three Shots Off Lead

Colleen Walker and Lenore Rittenhouse are just a stroke apart after two rounds of the San Diego Inamori Classic. But they are worlds apart when it comes to their expectations of battling veteran stars Patty Sheehan and Nancy Lopez heading into today’s third round.

“I can’t worry about other players,” said Walker, 31, a graduate of Florida State University who shot a four-under-par 67 on the hilly StoneRidge Country Club course Friday for a two-round total of 135. “I pay attention to the course and not the players. It took me a good three years before I stopped spectator-watching.”

Walker has placed in the top eight in four consecutive tournaments and is third on the money list this year with $84,686. Her five top 10 finishes tie her with Jan Stephenson for the tour lead this year.

Walker says she’s now “a little itchy” to get her first victory of the season and her second in seven years on the tour.

“I can’t say that I’ll charge for the lead, but I’ll try to make as many birdies as I can tomorrow,” she said.

Rittenhouse, a former University of Hawaii star who is 59th on the money list, followed her career- and tournament-best 65 Thursday with a par 71 Friday for a 136 total.

Sheehan (71), Lopez (68) and Ok-Hee Ku (70) of South Korea are three strokes behind Walker at 138.

“I didn’t feel nervous today,” said Rittenhouse, who recently moved to Pauma Valley in San Diego County. “But it might be different tomorrow. (Playing with) Walker, Lopez, Sheehan . . . the stars. I might shake tomorrow.”

After playing and joking with her friend Cindy Mackey (70-71) Thursday and Friday, Rittenhouse will be part of the final threesome with Walker and Lopez today.

“She (Rittenhouse) is a good player,” Lopez said. “She’s played well before. Some courses suit players better than other courses.”

StoneRidge seems to suit her. She has had six birdies, an eagle and just two bogeys in the first 36 holes.

“I’m very happy that I didn’t mess up today,” Rittenhouse said. “I didn’t follow up with an over-par score. It could have easily happened. This is a hurdle I got over.”

Next?

“I want to hang in there,” said Rittenhouse, whose lone career victory was the 1983 United Virginia Bank Classic. “I’m not going to charge for a win. I’m not at that level yet. Sheehan, Lopez, Walker--they can say they’re going for the win. At least that’s what I read in magazines when I miss the cut.”

This week, she’s in the hunt for the first-place check of $33,750.

Lopez, who shot 70 Thursday, said: “I played better today. Today I looked like I knew what I was doing. (Thursday) I didn’t.

“(Thursday), I wasn’t really there mentally. I was really patient today. I missed some putts yesterday that were incredible. They weren’t even close. I had no idea what they were going to do. It was embarrassing.”

With a victory this weekend, Lopez would become the fourth player in LPGA history to earn more than $2 million. She has $1,973,134. The three ahead of her are Pat Bradley ($2,431,850), JoAnne Carner ($2,141,879) and Amy Alcott ($2,050,831).

Seventh on the all-time LPGA money list is Sheehan, who survived some putting problems to finish at par Friday.

“I hit the ball a lot better than I scored, obviously,” Sheehan said. “It does get a little tedious when you keep two-putting.”

Ku, speaking through a translator, said she has a lot of confidence after her victory in the Standard Register Turquoise tournament two weeks ago. She had an up-and-down round of five birdies and four bogeys Friday.

Janet Coles, the assistant golf coach at UCLA, shot a 67 for a 139 total, the same as Judy Dickinson (71).

Allison Finney (68-72), Kelly Leadbetter (72-68), defending Inamori champion Ayako Okamoto (69-71), Shirley Furlong (70-70), Kim Bauer (71-69) and Penny Pulz (72-68) are tied at 140.

Twelve players are within five shots of Walker after two rounds.

“I don’t think many more under (par) will win,” Lopez said. “I think it will stay tight.”

Tournament Notes

Seventy-three players made the cut at 146. The low round Friday was a 66 shot by Mei-Chi Cheng of Taiwan, who shot a 78 Thursday. Anne-Marie Palli of Cibourne, France, followed her 67 Thursday with a 78 Friday. Lynn Connelly followed her first-round 69 with a 78 Friday and missed the cut by one stroke. . . . Sharon Barrett of Spring Valley shot a 10 on the fourth hole en route to an 87, and LeAnn Cassaday of Long Beach shot a 10 on the third hole and withdrew after shooting a 41 on the front nine. . . . Amy Alcott, the leading money-winner on the tour this year and winner of the Nabisco Dinah Shore tournament last week, shot a 70 for a total of 142 . . . Allison Shapcott, a junior from United States International University who qualified Sunday, missed the cut by shooting a 79-81 for 160. . . . The players teed off an hour late Friday because of fog. . . . Tee times are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today.