After 64, Hoch Leads Sarazen World Open

Calling it “one of my best-striking rounds ever,” Scott Hoch shot a course-record eight-under-par 64 for a two-shot lead over defending champion Frank Nobilo halfway through the $1.9-million Sarazen World Open golf championship Friday at Braselton, Ga.

“This is the first time I can remember hitting every fairway and every green,” Hoch said after his second trip around the hilly 6,967-yard Legends course at Chateau Elan left him with a 12-under 132 total for 36 holes.

Hoch’s round included nine birdies and one bogey--a three-putt from 30 feet on the first green, which was his 10th hole. Only three of his birdie putts were from more than 10 feet--18 feet at the 17th, 15 at the 13th and 12 at the 16th.

Nobilo, who also started on the back nine, bogeyed his fourth hole of the day when he three-putted from 40 feet, then played the final 14 holes in five under to shoot 68--134.

First-round leader Todd Barranger, the 1996 Thailand Open champion who lives in Knoxville, Tenn., bogeyed two of the first three holes, then got four birdies on the back side for a 70--135.

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Jimmy Powell and Walter Morgan shot five-under 65s and tied for the first-round lead in the Emerald Coast senior tournament at Milton, Fla.

Morgan had five birdies but missed a couple more when putts lipped out at the third and 10th holes at The Moors Golf Club, a par-70, 6,719-yard course that is almost treeless and ranks as one of the most difficult on the senior tour.

Powell needed six birdies to overcome a bogey at the par-three, 198-yard third hole, where he missed a five-foot putt.

Tennis

Stefan Edberg’s next-to-last tournament ended with Thomas Enqvist defeating him in the quarterfinals of the Paris Open, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6).

Edberg, who is retiring, will end his tournament career next week at Stockholm, although he and Enqvist could be on Sweden’s Davis Cup team that plays France in the final later this month.

After the match, organizers gave Edberg a miniature version of the Paris Open trophy. He has a full-sized one from winning the tournament in 1990.

In the second-set tiebreaker against Enqvist, Edberg took a 5-2 lead but lost the match when he hit a forehand volley into the net.

Boris Becker pulled out of the Stockholm Open because of an inflamed tendon in his right ankle. Becker’s manager, Axel Meyer-Woelden, in announcing the withdrawal, also criticized “the unfortunate tournament scheduling,” saying the Paris Open tournament came right after another top event, the Eurocard Open in Stuttgart, and contributed to the injury. Becker lost his opening match at the Paris Open.

Top-seeded Conchita Martinez of Spain ousted Belgian Sabine Appelmans, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, in the semifinals of the Kremlin Cup tournament at Moscow. Martinez will play second-seeded Barbara Paulus of Austria for the title.

Paulus defeated Barbara Schett, another Austrian, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

Jennifer Capriati advanced to the semifinals of the Ameritech Cup in Chicago when Meredith McGrath defaulted because of a sore knee. Capriati was leading, 4-2, at the time.

“I can’t play at this level feeling the way I did,” said McGrath, who underwent surgery on her right knee in October. “I did not want to risk any further injury.”

College Football

The NCAA restored the eligibility of four Texas players who had lunch with an agent. The players--receiver Mike Adams, cornerback Bryant Westbrook and safeties Tre Thomas and Chris Carter--will not start against Baylor today but all are expected to play.

Motor Sports

Bobby Labonte didn’t have the fastest car in practice but still won the pole for Sunday’s Jiffy Lube 300 at Homestead, Fla., the NASCAR Busch Grand National season finale. Labonte turned a lap of 139.074 mph.