GOLF ROUNDUP : Norman’s Zero Good for Nothing

In most golf tournaments, shooting low scores is the way to get ahead.

But the International at Castle Rock, Colo., using a modified Stableford scoring system, is not most golf tournaments.

And the zero point total Thursday for defending champion Greg Norman put him in danger of missing the first cut in the tournament that is being played under a fifth format in five years.

Scoring is based on points awarded for performance on each hole: 5 for eagle, 2 for birdie, 0 for par, minus-1 for bogey, minus-3 for double bogey or higher.

The field of 144 plays two rounds and the 72 players with the highest point totals advance to Saturday’s third round.

The 72 survivors will take their point totals with them and in Saturday’s third round will compete for 24 places in Sunday’s final. At that stage, however, all points are wiped out and the two dozen finalists start from zero.

“The jury is still out on the format,” said U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin, who was among the leaders with eight points. “It requires some mental gymnastics.

“The object is to get into the top 24 on Saturday. If you do that, you go into Sunday tied for first without holing a putt.”

Tom Purtzer, who holds the first-round lead with 14 points, said the format was an improvement over earlier versions, in which points were not carried over from one round to the next.

“I like this format, where we get to accumulate points, so much better than before,” Purtzer said.

“So I guess it means that with 14 points, if I shoot two more good scores--how do you say this, low scores? high points?--I’ll get to the last day.”

Norman, Ray Floyd and Jack Nicklaus all need major rallies if they are to make it as far as Saturday.

All had two-over-par 74s on the rain-soaked Castle Pines Golf Club course Nicklaus designed in the eastern foothills of the Rockies.

Norman was at zero with two birdies and four bogeys. Floyd and Nicklaus each scored a double bogey-7 and were at minus-1. All were deep in the second half of the field.

Bob Gilder, Donnie Hammond and Steve Elkington shared second with 10 points apiece. Eduardo Romero of Argentina, Mark Calcavecchia and Bill Buttner had nine.

Tammie Green overcame slow play and her usual slow start to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the LPGA Big Apple Tournament at New Rochelle, N.Y. Green, with just one victory in four years on the LPGA Tour, shot a 68 and led Kris Monaghan, Marci Bozarth, Danielle Ammaccapane and Rosie Jones by one at the Wykagyl Country Club.

Two of the hottest golfers this year, Patty Sheehan and Beth Daniel, are among eight players at 70.