GOLF ROUNDUP : Funk Goes 3 Strokes Atop Field

Fred Funk broke open a close tournament, shooting an eight-under-par 63 before half the field had teed off, and led Jim McGovern by three strokes after Friday’s second round of the Ideon Classic at Sutton, Mass.

Funk’s 13-under 129 was two strokes better than the lowest 36-hole score posted in the 28 previous PGA Tour events at Pleasant Valley Country Club.

“That’s great. I like getting in some sort of record book,” said Funk, who has only one victory in seven years on the tour and two top-10 finishes this year.

Tied at 134 were Billy Ray Brown, Brian Claar, Gene Sauers, Dan Forsman, Woody Austin, Steve Lowery, Howard Twitty, Billy Andrade, Dan Pooley and Jay Williamson.

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Bob Dickson, who didn’t play competitive golf for 16 years, shot a 66 to join Hale Irwin and Jim Colbert atop the leader board after the first round of the Ameritech Senior Open at Aurora, Ill.

Irwin, a rookie on the senior tour who joined after turning 50 on June 3, got into contention with four birdies over the last eight holes.

One shot behind the leading trio were Bob Smith and Mike Hill, who won this event in 1991. Defending champion John Paul Cain shot 69.

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Brian Barnes opened a three-stroke lead in the British Seniors Open by firing his second consecutive 67 in the second round at Portrush, Northern Ireland.

Barnes, who plays on the U.S. senior tour, leads Bob Murphy by three. The American followed his first-round 68 with a 69.

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Scotland’s Sam Torrance shot a seven-under-par 64 to take a two-stroke lead over Ireland’s Philip Walton after two rounds of the Dutch Open at Hilversum, Netherlands.

John Daly, the British Open champion, shot himself back into contention with a 66 that left him at four-under 138, six shots off the lead. Walton moved into second by shooting a 69.

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Becky Iverson shot a nine-under-par 63 to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the LPGA Friendly’s Classic at Agawam, Mass.

Iverson, who broke her previous tour best by four strokes, had a 10-under 134 total to lead Kris Tschetter. Tracy Hanson and Jane Crafter were three back at 137.