Golf Roundup : A 66 Zooms Zoeller Into Five-Shot Lead

Fuzzy Zoeller shot a six-under-par 66 Friday and took a five-stroke lead in the second round of the Memorial golf tournament at rainy and cold Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.

Zoeller, who led by a shot after his opening-round 69, had a total of 135.

Ray Floyd, who won the Memorial in 1982, shot a 67 that left him at 140 with Bob Tway, who posted a 69, and Mark Calcavecchia, who had a 68.

Fred Couples and Donnie Hammond were next at 142 on the 7,104-yard Jack Nicklaus-designed course.

Bruce Lietzke, Greg Norman, Mark O’Meara and Payne Stewart were at 143.

Zoeller, 37, credited a new putter and a new putting stance for 15 birdies and only 16 pars through 36 holes. He had nine birdies, tying a course record, and three bogeys in the second round.

He got his new putter, replacing one he had used for 17 years and 10 PGA Tour titles, in the mail last November. It sat in his van until Monday, when he decided to change.

Enjoying a respite from nagging back problems that have been with him for the past 10 years, Zoeller hit long drives that set him up for low scores. He had seven birdies and a par on par-five holes.

Marci Bozarth rolled in a six-foot birdie putt on her final hole and grabbed a share of the opening-round lead in the $275,000 Chrysler-Plymouth tournament at Lincroft, N. J., despite being penalized one shot for illegally picking up her ball.

Bozarth, who hasn’t won in four-plus years on the LPGA tour, was tied at three-under-par 70 with long-hitting Laura Davies of England and Cindy Rarick.

Defending champion Nancy Lopez was tied at 71 with Sherri Steinhauer.

Bozarth could have had the lead by herself except for a mental mistake at the sixth hole. The tee and landing area of the par-five, 451-yard hole were bluelined, meaning golfers could pick up and clean the ball after their drives. But Bozarth said she thought the entire hole was bluelined, and picked up her ball after her second shot.

Chi Chi Rodriguez shot a three-under-par 67 to take a one-stroke lead in the opening round of the $400,000 Bell Atlantic-St. Christopher’s senior tournament at Malvern, Pa.

Tommy Aaron, Mike Hill, Deray Simon and Orville Moody had 68s on the 6,710-yard Chester Valley Golf Club course.

Five other players, including Jim Dent, who is playing in his first Senior PGA Tour event, were at 69. The others were Don Bies, Charles Coody, Lee Elder and Dale Douglass.