GOLF ROUNDUP : Rain Disrupts Play in Senior Open

Simon Hobday, playing at a record pace on rain-softened greens, grabbed a two-shot lead Friday in the storm-disrupted and uncompleted second round of the U.S. Senior Open at Pinehurst, N.C.

Hobday was nine under par for the tournament and on the 18th hole when play was halted. A par when play resumes today will leave him tied for the tournament record for 36 holes.

He was among 33 players still on the rain-soaked course when darkness fell at the Pinehurst Country Club.

Jim Albus, who shared the first-round lead with Hobday, completed a 69 and was the clubhouse leader at seven-under 135, and Australian Graham Marsh was next at 136.

The rain softened the greens, smoothed out the spike marks and provided the late starters with a major advantage.

“It made the greens so soft that if you had your irons zeroed in, you could go right for the flag. But the biggest advantage was that the rains smoothed out the greens,” Marsh said.

Defending champion Jack Nicklaus and Ray Floyd each shot 68 and reached the tournament halfway point at 137.

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Western Open defending champion Nick Price saved par on his fourth hole with a miraculous shot from a bunker.

Price went on to finish with his second consecutive five-under-par 67 to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds in Lemont, Ill.

Price’s drive on the 416-yard fourth hole went into the water. After a drop into the rough, his third shot skidded into the bunker and then he holed it from about 40 feet to save par.

Phil Mickelson, who shared the first-round lead with four others, trails Price by a single stroke after shooting a 69.

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Tammy Green shot a five-under-par 67 for a one-shot lead after the first round of the Youngstown-Warren LPGA Classic at Youngstown, Ohio.

Defending champion Nancy Lopez, trying to become the first repeat winner of this tournament, shot a 71.