GOLF ROUNDUP : Lowery Uses Sandy Route to Take the Lead

Showing little fear of sand and little regard for his better-known competitors, Steve Lowery carded seven birdies in a bogey-free round Friday to take the lead at the halfway point of the International at Castle Rock, Colo.

Lowery, whose best finish in seven seasons on the PGA Tour was a second at San Diego earlier this year, earned 14 points and had a two-round total of 21 points under the modified Stableford system, which awards points for birdies and eagles and subtracts them for bogeys and worse.

Lowery birdied all four of the par fives. On three of them, he hit his second shot into sand bordering the green and got up and down for birdie.

“I wouldn’t say sand play is the strength of my game,” Lowery said, “but it was good today. I was fortunate that on all of those bunker shots, I had room to land the ball.”

Equaling Lowery’s 14 as the day’s best score was Dave Stockton Jr., who was at 20 along with Mike Reid. Keith Clearwater had 19 points, Tom Lehman 17 and Tom Kite 16.

Hale Irwin, who holed out a pitching wedge at the par-four 15th for an eagle worth five points, was in a group at 15.

First-round leader Bruce Lietzke, who began the day with 16 points, was at 14.

Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal vaulted into contention with an eagle and two birdies--worth nine points--in a span of four holes to finish at 13 along with 1986 International champion Ken Green.

Among those missing the cut were John Daly and John Cook.

Under the scoring system, a player receives eight points for a double eagle, five for eagle, two for birdie, minus one for bogey and minus three for double bogey or worse.

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Dick Rhyan shot a six-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Burnet Senior Classic at Coon Rapids, Minn.

Tom Weiskopf and George Archer were one stroke back. Dave Stockton, Bob E. Smith and Jim Dent were two behind the leader. Jim Albus, Larry Gilbert and Bob Brue each shot 69 at the 6,909-yard Bunker Hills Golf Course.

Rhyan, an eighth-year senior still looking for his first tour victory, hadn’t led after any round since shooting a 65 on the first day of the NYNEX Commemorative in June of 1993.

“When you’re getting four or five under and then you give two back, you think maybe that your nerves can’t handle it any more,” he said. “I’m going to be 60 in November and I wonder.”

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Katie Peterson-Parker shot an even-par 72 and is tied at 137 with Kathryn Marshall, Janice Gibson, Michelle Estill, Dale Eggeling and Jane Geddes in the second-round of the lightning-delayed LPGA Chicago Challenge at Naperville, Ill.

Eleven players were still on the White Eagle golf course when play was delayed by lightning and later suspended because of the threat of a tornado.

Marshall had the day’s best round with a bogey-free 66 in the windy conditions.

Kim Shipman (69), Barb Mucha (70), Cathy Johnston-Forbes (70), Margaret Platt Platt (70), Michelle McGann (71) and Susie Redman (71) were two back at 139.