GOLF ROUNDUP : Stewart Is the Leader in Western

Payne Stewart, riding the emotional high of recent successes, shot a 67 and established a one-stroke lead at the halfway point of the Western Open Friday at Oak Brook, Ill.

“I’m playing with a lot of confidence now and it’s showing up in the scores,” said Stewart, who has two victories and a second among his past five starts.

“This is fun,” the current PGA champion said.

“Here I am in contention again,” Stewart said after completing two trips over the Butler National Golf Club course in 135, nine under par.

“If I can take care of Payne Stewart’s business the next couple of days, I might walk away a winner again.”

Wayne Levi, who won at Atlanta last month, and Mark Brooks shared second at 136.

Levi shot 66 on a course softened by overnight rains and, he said, “was considerably easier.”

Brooks highlighted a near-flawless 65 with a 60-foot chip-in for an eagle-three. He did not miss a green and did not make a bogey on the course considered one of the more difficult the touring pros encounter all season.

Ray Stewart, the 36-year-old Canadian who is looking for his first American title, was two strokes back at 138. Stewart, who was tied for the first-round lead, went to a 73.

Jose-Maria Olazabal of Spain and Steve Pate each had 68s and were tied at 139.

The group at 140, four under par and five off the lead, included Greg Norman, Tom Watson, Chip Beck and Loren Roberts.

Roberts, who shared the first-round lead with Ray Stewart, went to a 75. Watson, seeking an end to a three-year non-winning string, shot 71 on the course that provided him with his first professional victory in 1974. Norman, winner of two titles this year, and Beck each shot 69.

Mark Calcavecchia, the British Open champion still hobbling from a toe injury, had a 71 and a 143 total.

Curtis Strange, who will try for a third consecutive U.S. Open championship next week at nearby Medinah, was one stroke higher after a 71.

Jane Geddes overcame a case of nerves to shoot a three-under-par 68 for a one-stroke lead in the $650,000 LPGA McDonald’s Championship at Wilmington, Del.

Geddes, 30, who hasn’t won since taking five of her seven tour titles in 1987, had nines of 33 and 35 over the 6,366-yard DuPont Country Club course to complete 36 holes at 136, six shots under par.

One stroke behind was Patty Sheehan, the tour’s No. 4 money winner, who shot a 67 for a two-day total of 137.

At 138 was Laurie Rinker, the first-round leader. She bogeyed three of the last four holes to fall out of the lead, settling for a round of 71.

Geddes, starting on the back nine, parred the first five holes and then chipped in from 35 feet for birdie on No. 14. She eagled No. 16 by putting a four-wood approach within 20 feet of the pin and sinking the putt. From there, she strung together 11 consecutive pars.