GOLF ROUNDUP : Wright Beats Storm and Leads Open

Scottish longshot Pamela Wright held the clubhouse lead Friday when the approach of a storm forced an overnight postponement of the pursuit of her closest challengers in the U.S. Women’s Open at Oakmont, Pa.

Juli Inkster and Patty Sheehan, each one under par and two shots behind Wright, were among the 42 players who ran for cover at the approach of the storm at rain-soaked Oakmont.

Sheehan, three times a runner-up but not yet a winner in the women’s American national championship, was through 14 holes and Inkster through 16 when the siren sounded warning of severe weather.

Wright finished off a two-under-par 69 with a one-putt par on the difficult 18th hole of the longest, hardest course the women have encountered.

“I’m leading and it’s raining and that’s good,” Wright said after reaching the tournament halfway point at 139, three under par.

Inkster and Sheehan were the only others under par. Dawn Coe (71) and Donna Andrews (73) were at par 142. The group at 143 was made up of Jane Geddes (70), Alice Ritzman (69) and Gail Graham (71).

PGA Tour veteran Roger Maltbie reached the midway point of the $1-million New England Classic with a two-stroke lead as he put himself into position to win the event as he did 17 years ago.

Maltbie, 41, a part-time roving golf announcer for NBC, followed Thursday’s six-under 65 with a 66 at Sutton, Mass., for a total of 131, 11 under par.

First-round leader and tour rookie Robert Friend had five consecutive birdies in a roller-coaster round of 69. That put him in a three-way tie for second place at 133, along with Brad Faxon and Kelly Gibson, a Hogan Tour player.

Left-hander Phil Mickelson not only made his first cut as a professional, but played into contention with rounds of 66 and 69.

Phil Rodgers shot a six-under-par 66 for a one-shot lead after the first round of the $400,000 Newport Cup, a Senior PGA Tour event at Newport (R.I.) Country Club.

Rodgers, 54, shot 33s on each nine of the par-72, 6,722-yard links layout, site of the first U.S. Amateur and Open in 1895.

Jim O’Hern, 1989 champion Jim Dent, Tommy Aycock and Bert Yancey were one stroke back at 67.