Golf Roundup : Roberts Tops No-Name Leaders at Westchester

Loren Roberts scrambled to a par 71 Friday and led a group of lesser-known players atop the standings after the second round of the $700,000 Westchester golf tournament at Harrison, N.Y.

Roberts, a non-winner in seven seasons on the PGA Tour, completed two trips over the Westchester Country Club course in 137.

“It was work today. I hit it all over the place,” said Roberts, who clipped two trees, had two bogeys and a double bogey and pitched in from 50 yards for one of his four birdies.

Australian Steve Elkington, who shot a 70, Bill Buttner (69) and rookie Brandel Chamblee (68) shared second place, one stroke behind Roberts.

None of these four players has a career finish higher than third. Collectively, they have missed the cut in 26 of 49 starts this season.

The group at 139 included first-round co-leader Howard Twitty, Dick Mast, Ken Green and South African David Frost.

Seve Ballesteros of Spain, a former winner of this event and a playoff loser last year, had a 68 that put him at 140.

The rest of the major foreign stars were well back.

Australian Greg Norman had a 69 and was at 142. Bernhard Langer of West Germany also shot a 69 for a 143 total, and British Open champion Nick Faldo of England matched par for a 145.

Sandy Lyle of Scotland, the Masters champion and the only three-time winner on the PGA Tour this year, had another 74 for a 148 total and failed to qualify for the final two rounds.

Caroline Gowan shot a par 72 to retain the lead in the $300,000 LPGA Rochester tournament at Rochester, N.Y.

Gowan had a two-day total of 139, leaving her one stroke ahead of rookie Danielle Ammaccapane, who also shot a 72.

Nancy Lopez sank a 40-foot birdie putt on her final hole to complete a 69 for a total of 141.

Gowan, a non-winner in four years on the women’s tour, bogeyed 5 of her first 13 holes but rallied with three straight birdies, starting on No. 15.

Billy Casper birdied four straight holes en route to a four-under-par 68 that gave him a one-stroke lead over Charles Coody in the second round of the Senior Tournament Players Championship at Ponte Vedra, Fla.

Casper, winner of 51 regular PGA Tour events and eight more as a senior, had six birdies and two bogeys for a 36-hole total of 137.

Coody, who joined the PGA Seniors Tour last July, also shot a 68 on the 6,646-yard Valley Course at Sawgrass Country Club.

Bruce Crampton shot a 68 and Gardner Dickinson a 69 to tie for third place at 139.