GOLF ROUNDUP : Rain Leaves Field High and Wet

Ian Baker-Finch appears all but certain of reaching the final round of The International at Castle Rock, Colo.--if the weather allows the final round to be reached.

For the second time in as many days, a series of thunderstorms Friday caused an overnight delay in play.

Seventy-two players--including PGA champion John Daly--still were on the course when darkness fell on the Castle Pines Golf Club and extended second-round play into today. Third-round play is scheduled to begin later in the day.

That timetable, of course, is subject to change. The forecast called for more thunderstorms through Sunday.

With the schedule in disarray and the second round incomplete, very little could be determined with any degree of certainty concerning the leaders, contenders or--more importantly--the qualifiers in this survivors-only event.

Chi Chi Rodriguez, the leading money-winner on the senior tour, shot a nine-under-par 63 to take the first-round lead in the Northwest tournament at Kenmore, Wash.

Rodriguez was two shots ahead of Jim Ferree, who eagled the first and last holes in a round of 65.

Bert Yancey, who had a par 72, made the sixth hole in one of the senior tour season, holing out on the 195-yard 16th hole with a three-iron. Jim O’Hern also had an ace, on the 147-yard 12th with an eight-iron.

The holes in one were worth $2,000 apiece.

Tour rookie Brandie Burton and Australian Jane Crafter shot five-under-par 67s to share the first-round lead in a rain-interrupted LPGA tournament at Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Play was suspended a second time because of darkness with 12 golfers on the course. They will finish the second round today, after which the 144-player field in the 54-hole tournament will be cut to the 70 lowest scores and ties.