GOLF ROUNDUP : Morgan Duels With Hoch, Takes Tournament Lead

At 14th on the year’s money list, Gil Morgan is the highest-ranking player competing at the Kemper Open at Potomac, Md., but his status remains suspect because of his victory drought since 1983.

As if that wasn’t motivation enough, Morgan’s threesome kept the pressure on. Joining Scott Hoch and John Inman in a group that began play on the 10th hole, Morgan birdied four of the first eight holes en route to a four-under-par 67 and a one-shot lead over Hoch after two rounds over the TPC at Avenel.

Both Hoch and Morgan battled all day Friday after each shooting 68 Thursday. They were tied coming to the final hole Friday, but Hoch went eight feet past on a 50-foot birdie putt and missed the comeback putt for par.

Morgan is at seven-under-par 135 and said his duel with Hoch lifted his game.

“It’s always good to play with someone playing well,” Morgan said. “We were kind of competing against each other on those last few holes.”

Morgan had birdies on Nos. 11, 14, 15 and 17. He then had six consecutive pars before sinking a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 6 to go eight under.

He missed a 10-footer for par on No. 8--his first bogey of the tournament--then parred No. 9 to stand alone atop the leader board.

Stephanie Farwig, Kate Rogerson and Mary Beth Zimmerman shot five-under-par 67s to share the first-round lead in the LPGA’s Lady Keystone Open at Hershey, Pa.

Diane Heinicke-Rauch, Caroline Pierce and Cathy Marino were tied at 68 on the 6,348-yard West Course of the Hershey County Club. Betsy King joined four others--Laurel Kean, Danielle Ammaccapane, Marci Bozarth and Marianne Morris--two shots behind.

Farwig and Rogerson have never won a tour event and Zimmerman hasn’t won since 1987.

Dick Rhyan, who had only one top-10 finish in 41 tournaments on the PGA Senior Tour last year, shot a seven-under-par 63, tying the course record for the first-round lead in the $350,000 Commemorative at the 6,545-yard Sleepy Hollow Country Club at Scarborough on Hudson, N.Y.

Rhyan, 55, had seven birdies and no bogeys to take a one-stroke lead over Jimmy Powell in the 54-hole competition. Powell bogeyed the opening hole but then had seven birdies for his 64.

Gary Player is third with a 65 followed by Lee Trevino at 66.