Els Uses 23 Putts in His 66

While other first-round leaders faltered, Ernie Els used a hot putter in turning in a five-under-par 66 Friday and lengthened his lead to five strokes midway through the Buick Classic in Rye, N.Y.

Els used only 23 putts and, at day’s end, his 11-under 131 tied the tournament record for best 36-hole score when the Westchester Country Club has played to a par 71.

Tied for second were David Frost, who had a second-round 69 and Craig Parry (66). Greg Norman, who had a 70, Mike Reid (71) and Kevin Sutherland (69) were another shot back at 137.

Els said he switched to an old putter before this tournament began.

“I’ve made some putts,” he said. “I have been practicing hard on the short game. Nothing was happening, but it’s coming around at a good time.”

Arjun Atwal, the 23-year-old native of India who shot a 67 Thursday while playing his first PGA tournament round, had a 76 Friday to make the cut at one-over 143.

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Tom Weiskopf’s eagle on the 15th hole pushed him to a four-under-par 68 and the first-round lead in the Pittsburgh Senior Classic at Midway, Pa.

Weiskopf held a one-stroke lead over Bob Eastwood and local favorite Arnold Palmer, who placed his approach shots around the pin at the Quicksilver Golf Club all day in shooting a three-under 69. It was Palmer’s second-best score of the year.

“It’s about as well as I’ve played this year,” Weiskopf said. “I drove the ball well and hit a lot of wonderful iron shots. It was one of those days for me.”

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Emilee Klein shot a six-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Pat Bradley after the second round of the rain-plagued LPGA Oldsmobile Classic in East Lansing, Mich.

Klein, who has three top-10 finishes this season, stands at 10-under 134 midway though the tournament, which has had rain delays of three hours or more both days.