Woods and Appleby Share Western Lead

Stuart Appleby bogeyed the final two holes to drop back into a tie for the lead with Tiger Woods after the second round of the Western Open at Lemont, Ill., on Friday.

Both shot six-under-par 66s and are at 10-under 134.

“I feel bad for Stuart, but I feel pretty good for myself,” said Woods, who won the Western Open in 1997. “To finish like that is always tough, especially with how well he was playing.”

Appleby had an eagle and seven birdies before his troubles on Nos. 17 and 18, where he missed putts from three and eight feet.

After bogeying the par-four No. 4, Appleby had birdies on Nos. 5, 7 and 9, including a tough, 15-foot uphill putt on the seventh. He made a 12-foot putt on the 10th to go eight under and catch Woods, who was playing a hole in front of him.

Appleby went two up on the next hole. He put his tee shot on the par-five 11th straight down the left side of the fairway, about 220 yards from the green. He cleared a clump of trees with a five-iron, managed to get around a dogleg and landed 10 feet from the pin.

He made the putt for the eagle, putting him at 10 under.

“Pretty good golf,” Appleby said. “Good putting. I was making my chances when they were there.”

Appleby’s wife, Renay, was killed last July 23 when she was hit by a car in London. Appleby made an emotional return at the PGA Championship, and won the Houston Open in May for his first victory since her death.

“It’s great to see him playing good,” Woods said. “After the devastating loss of his wife, it’s good to see him back.”

Mike Brisky, the first-round leader, shot a 69 and is one shot back at nine under 135. Vijay Singh, the 1998 runner-up, is among four at seven-under 137 in the $2.5-million tournament on the 7,073-yard Dubsdread course at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club.

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Australian Mardi Lunn, winless in 129 LPGA starts, has a three-stroke lead after two rounds of the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic at Sylvania, Ohio. She followed her first-round 65 with a 67 that included two birdies down the stretch.

Jenny Lidback is in second after a 68 and Australian Karrie Webb, going after her sixth victory of the year, is another shot back after a round of 66 that included seven consecutive birdies.

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Christy O’Connor of Ireland shot a seven-under 65 to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the State Farm Senior Classic at Columbia, Md. Five players, including rookie sensation Bruce Fleisher, were at 67 in the 54-hole tournament.

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In Front

Leaders through Friday’s play (Complete scores, Page 10):

WESTERN OPEN--Par 72

Tiger Woods 68-66--134 -10

Stuart Appleby 68-66--134 -10

Mike Brisky 66-69--135 -9

Loren Roberts 69-68--137 -7

Jay Don Blake 71-66--137 -7

Hal Sutton 67-70--137 -7

Vijay Singh 67-70--137 -7

JAMIE FARR KROGER CLASSIC--Par 71

Mardi Lunn 65-67--132 -10

Jenny Lidback 67-68--135 -7

Karrie Webb 70-66--136 -6

Tracy Hanson 70-66--136 -6

Cindy McCurdy 69-67--136 -6

Carin Koch 69-67--136 -6

Marisa Baena 67-69--136 -6

STATE FARM SENIOR CLASSIC--Par 72

Christy O’Connor 33-32--65 -7

Bruce Fleisher 34-33--67 -5

Isao Aoki 34-33--67 -5

Allen Doyle 34-33--67 -5

Bob Duval 34-33--67 -5

Hubert Green 34-33--67 -5