Golf Roundup : Early-Starting Trio Tied at Coal Valley

Blaine McCallister, Dan Forsman and Russ Cochran took advantage of cooler morning weather Friday and shared the second-round lead at 10-under-par 130 in the $600,000 Hardee’s golf tournament at Coal Valley, Ill.

The three leaders logged their rounds on the par-70 Oakwood Country Club course before southwest winds gusting to 20 m.p.h. and 103-degree heat took a toll on the afternoon players, including first-round leader Gene Sauers, who bogeyed three of his first six holes and slumped to 135 after a 73.

McCallister, seeking his first PGA Tour win, had the low round of the morning session with an eight-under-par 62 to equal the first-round record score by Sauers Thursday. Cochran, a southpaw, had a 64 and Forsman a 66.

Sam Randolph, who was tied for second after the first round, stayed close with a 67 that kept him one shot back at 131, while Dan Pohl, Ernie Gonzalez, Mark Maness, Ron Streck and Jeff Sluman were at 132.

Hale Irwin, a two-time U.S. Open champion who is battling a slump, shot a 67 and headed a group at 133.

Gil Morgan, who finished second to Kenny Knox in last year’s tournament, had a 66 and was at 134. He was joined at that figure by Tom Sieckmann, winner of last week’s Busch Classic at Williamsburg, Va. Sieckmann shot a 67 on Friday.

Colleen Walker shot a three-under-par 69 and extended her lead to five strokes midway through the $300,000 Boston Five tournament at Danvers, Mass.

Walker, No. 5 on the money list with $196,364, is at 135 after two rounds.

Becky Pearson and former U.S. Open champion Jan Stephenson headed a group of six tied for second.

Others at 140 are Cathy Marino, Betsy King, Kathryn Young and Cindy Rarick.

Karin Mundinger, who had shot an eight-over 80 in the opening round, followed that score with a low career round of 66 for a 146 total, 11 off the pace but improving at a rate of 14 strokes a day.

Ben Smith, winless in 4 1/2 years on the PGA Seniors Tour, shot a six-under-par 66 to take a two-stroke lead over Jim Cochran in the first round of the 54-hole, $350,000 Showdown tournament at Jeremy Ranch, Utah.

Peter Thomson and Homero Blancas were tied for third at 69. Defending champion Miller Barber, Don Bies and Bob Rawlins were at 70.

Smith, 54, birdied three of the last seven holes on the 6,947-yard Jeremy Ranch course, 25 miles east of Salt Lake City.

Smith’s best finish this year was a tie for fourth in the Southwest Bell tournament in June. He joined the Senior PGA Tour in 1984. His best year was 1986, when he won $103,863, and was 17th on the seniors’ money list.

Cochran, 55, who joined the seniors’ circuit in 1983, also has never won on the tour. His best 1988 finish was a tie for seventh in the United Hospitals tournament in May.