Love Is in Front, but He Has Company

What usually is an easy event for PGA Tour players turned into a day of frustration on slick, sun-baked greens at the $2-million National Car Rental Classic, leaving Davis Love III and five others in the lead after the second round at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Their seven-under 137 tied the record for the highest 36-hole lead in the Disney Classic, set by John Mahaffey in 1973. That didn’t surprise anyone.

“It was like Augusta--spooky, scary, speedy,” said Masters champion Mark O’Meara, who shot his second straight one-under 71 and was five strokes off the lead.

Love, one of the few who didn’t seem bothered, shot a 64 and was joined by John Huston, Rocco Mediate, Tom Purtzer, Glen Day and Doug Martin.

“It’s hard for anyone to separate themselves from the pack,” said defending champion David Duval, who had a 72 and was at four-under 140. “I lost four shots [from Thursday] but gained ground on the lead.”

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Dottie Pepper shot a two-under 70 to take a three-stroke lead after two rounds of the Samsung World Championship of Women’s Golf at The Villages, Fla.

Pepper’s two-day score of five-under 139 put her ahead of the second-place group of Annika Sorenstam, Brandie Burton and Liselotte Neumann.

Sorenstam shot one-over 73 and Burton had an even-par 72. Neumann carded the best round of the day, shooting five-under 67 on a blustery afternoon.

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Jay Sigel posted the second-best Senior PGA Tour score ever, a 10-under 61, and held a three-stroke lead after the first round of the Kaanapali Classic in Hawaii.

The senior record was set by Isao Aoki, who had a 10-under 60 in the 1997 Emerald Coast Classic.

Sigel made the turn at the Kaanapali North Golf Club at 29, putting together six birdies without a bogey. He had three more birdies over the next five holes before narrowly missing an eagle on the par-five, 480-yard 15th.