GOLF ROUNDUP : McCallister Leads, but Irwin Only 2 Back After Nearly Missing Tee Time

Blaine McCallister took the lead in the second round of the Buick golf tournament Friday but could not shake persistent U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin.

“This was kind of a hurdle day for me, in getting by what could have been a bad day,” Irwin said after shooting a two-under-par 69 on the Westchester Country Club course in Harrison, N.Y., that left him two strokes behind McCallister.

Irwin said he remains very busy following his Monday playoff victory in the U.S. Open--so busy, in fact, that he was almost late in getting to the course for second-round play.

“Most of the hectic part is over now,” he said. “I don’t need any more of that upside-down feeling, the topsy-turvy that’s been going on.

“Going out to play golf is the easiest thing to do now.”

McCallister, returning from an illness that sidelined him much of the season, overcame a poor start to shoot a 67 that put him at 133, nine under par.

Jay Haas completed a 67 with birdies on the last four holes and moved into second place at 134.

Irwin was tied for third at 135 with David Peoples, who had a 67.

Australian Ian Baker-Finch, Mark Brooks and Bill Britton were at 136.

Brooks had nine 3s on his scorecard in a round of 66. Baker-Finch shot 67 and Britton had a 70.

Ben Crenshaw produced the best round of the tournament in an eight-under-par 63 and moved among the tournament leaders at 138.

He was tied at that figure, four-under, with Mike Donald, who lost the 19-hole U.S. Open playoff to Irwin at Medinah, Ill.

With much of the outside pressures of the Open victory behind him, Irwin said he can return to his attempt at a second title in a row.

Irwin matched a pair of birdies with as many bogeys over the first 11 holes, then went under par for the day with a 10-foot putt on the 14th.

McCallister, a two-time winner last year, has been out much of this season with flu, followed by mononucleosis.

“I finally feel 100%,” said McCallister, who went in front with birdies on two of his last three holes.

Chi Chi Rodriguez, who won the Digital Seniors tournament three consecutive years from 1986 to ‘88, shot a 64 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round at Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord, Mass.

After finishing 33rd last year behind defending champion Bob Charles, Rodriguez carded 32s on the front and back nines of the 6,453-yard, par-72 course.

In the past four years in this event, Rodriguez has earned $114,525.

Harold Henning was second at 66, finishing with three birdies.

Lee Trevino, the Senior Tour’s leading money-winner, led a group of five at 67. Trevino knocked in a 12-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole that tied him with George Archer, Dick Hendrickson, Terry Dill and Mike Hill.

Amy Alcott birdied the final two holes for a 65 and a two-stroke lead over defending champion Patty Sheehan and Kathy Postlewait in the second round of the LPGA Rochester International.

Alcott completed 36 holes at 134, setting a course record of 10 under par at Locust Hill Country Club course. Sheehan, who shot par on Thursday and started the second round four shots out of the lead, rode an eagle and six birdies to a 64 that tied the course record.

Postlewait, who shared the 18-hole lead with Nancy Lopez, shot a second 68 to join Sheehan at 136. Lopez had a 70.

Alcott, who with 28 career victories needs but two more to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame, has a best finish this season of ninth in the Hawaiian Open in February.

Postlewait was within a stroke of the lead heading to the 18th hole, but a bogey dropped her back into a tie with Sheehan two shots off the lead.