Morgan Warms Up With Another 66

Gil Morgan ably handled another day of unusually chilly temperatures Friday and shot his second consecutive six-under-par 66 to take a two-stroke lead midway through The Tradition, the seniors’ first major of the season.

His 36-hole total of 132 on the Cochise Course at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Ariz., kept him ahead of Terry Dill, John Jacobs and Isao Aoki at 10-under 134.

“Even though it’s been misting on and off, raining both days, it’s bearable with the greens being soft,” said Morgan, a seven-time winner on the regular tour. “I think it’s been a little bit of an advantage from that standpoint.”

Simon Hobday, who shared the lead with Morgan, Jacobs, Aoki and J.C. Snead after the first round, was in a group of six at 140, and four-time winner Jack Nicklaus followed his opening 67 with a 74 to land with five others at 141.

Only 31 players in the field of 78 broke par.

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Defending champion Scott McCarron and Larry Rinker pulled away from the field in the Freeport-McDermott Classic in New Orleans, shooting three-under 69s in windy conditions to reach 10-under 134.

Michael Christie (67) and Brad Faxon (69) were three back at 137 on the English Turn Golf and Country Club course.

Jose Maria Olazabal, returning from crippling foot problems and making his first U.S. start since the 1995 World Series of Golf, shot a 67 for a 139 total.

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Juli Inkster, winless on the LPGA Tour for nearly five years, shot a four-under 68 and held a one-stroke lead over reigning U.S. Open titlist Annika Sorenstam after the second round of the Longs Drugs Challenge.

Inkster, winner of 15 tournaments, stood at four-under 140 after winds calmed on a warm and sunny day at Twelve Bridges Golf Club in Lincoln, Calif.

Natalie Gulbis, 14, of Citrus Heights, Calif., shot an 84, was at 165 and missed the cut by 13 strokes.