GOLF ROUNDUP : Fleisher Leads When Technology Gets a Bogey

Bruce Fleisher, who rejoined the PGA Tour last season after seven years as a club pro, birdied his last two holes and moved into the lead Friday after the second round of the Northern Telecom Open at Tucson.

Fleisher, 43, who shot a four-under-par 68 Friday, completed 36 holes in 134, 10 under par, and had the lead alone at the tournament halfway point.

“The last two holes tell the story,” Fleisher said. “I’m glad to be out of it. It was semi-shaky in the middle.”

A massive comedy of errors and misinformation surrounded the score of Keith Clearwater before it was determined he had finished with a 65, good for part of a three-way tie for second at 135, nine under par.

At one point, it appeared Clearwater was either leading alone or subject to disqualification.

A fax copy of Clearwater’s scorecard sent to press headquarters some 15 miles from the course at StarPass added up to 64, including a birdie four on the eighth hole.

That would have put him in the lead alone at 11 under par. Clearwater, however, said he had made par on the hole. So that seemed to mean he had signed an incorrect scorecard. And that means disqualification.

A check of the original scorecard, however, showed Clearwater clearly had marked down a “5” on the hole, but the figure had been written over. And the computer had him for a 69 in the first round, instead of the 70 he actually shot.

His correct score finally was posted, 70-65--135, tied with Duffy Waldorf and Curtis Strange. Strange had a 69 at StarPass and Waldorf birdied four holes in a row in a 66 at Tucson National, which will be the site of the final two rounds.

Playing in only his fourth Senior PGA Tour event, Kermit Zarley posted a six-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead over five other golfers after the first round of the $450,000 GTE Suncoast Classic at Tampa, Fla.

Zarley, a 50-year-old from Friendswood, Tex., won only two tournaments in 25 years on the regular tour, then took three years off to write religious books and prepare for the senior circuit.

He played only one tournament in 1991, his first year of eligibility, having to take 10 weeks off because of a rib injury.

He recorded seven birdies and one bogey Friday, shooting a 33-32.

“The greens are a little shaggy, but the fairways are immaculate and the wind left us alone,” Zarley said. “I told my caddie that if the wind blows, this won’t play like a seniors course. It will be like a course on the regular tour. But on a calm day like this you could fire it right at the flag and shoot some low scores.”

Defending champion Bob Charles led five golfers touring the 6,638-yard course in 66, matching him with Al Geiberger, Jim Colbert, Bobby Nichols and George Archer.

Greg Norman shot a three-under-par 70 and took a three-shot lead after the second round of the Australian Masters at Melbourne.

PGA champion John Daly was disqualified for not signing his card after shooting an 81.

Daly entered the scorer’s room after the round, checked his card and left. He immediately flew home. Daly had a 12-over-par 158 for the two rounds.

Norman was surprised at the disqualification of Daly, who was paid a $35,000 appearance fee.

“He’s a nice guy and he’s done a wonderful thing in the game (win the PGA Championship), but I wish he’d slow down and pull in the reins a little,” Norman said.