Hot Irons Have Hoch Sizzling

Scott Hoch, after another day of pinpoint iron play, shot a 65 Friday for a nine-under-par 133 and the midway lead of the Tour Championship at Houston. He leads Jim Furyk by one stroke and Mark Calcavecchia and David Duval by two.

Hoch, who made the cut in all 21 tour events he played this year, might be one of the most under-appreciated players in professional golf by fans.

“They like the long hitters,” said Hoch, who ranks 163rd in driving distance. “I played with Duval yesterday and he was four clubs longer than me.”

Hoch proved again at the Champions Golf Club that good scores are made by good play close to the green when he made four consecutive birdies and five in six holes beginning on No. 8.

Hoch would finish the year with $2,002,988 if he picked up the $720,000 first prize and still not win the money title. The $64,000 last-place check means the worst Tiger Woods can end the year with is $2,033,233.

Woods would break Tom Lehman’s record by nearly $1 million if he wins, and he made that a possibility when he moved into contention with a 68 to get to five-under 137, four behind Hoch.

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John Daly’s lucrative endorsement deal with Reebok, first negotiated after he won the PGA Championship in 1991, will not be renewed, leaving Daly with Callaway Golf as his only major sponsor.

The Reebok deal reportedly brought Daly between $400,000 and $500,000.

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The U.S. LPGA team took a commanding lead over Japan in the Nichirei International at Ina, Japan, by winning seven of nine opening-day matches.

Michele Redman and partner Tina Barrett tied the day’s low round of 11-under 61 at the Tsukuba Country Club and beat Michiko Hattori and Aki Takamura by six strokes.

The U.S. lost one match and tied another for a 7 1/2-1 1/2 lead in the three-day tournament.