Inkster Tied for Lead in du Maurier Classic

Juli Inkster isn’t playing her best golf in the du Maurier Classic at Priddis, Canada.

The bad news for the rest of the field is that she’s still in the lead, halfway home to a third consecutive major championship title and a place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Despite bogeys on two par-five holes and a constant battle to find a swing she could trust, Inkster shot a three-under-par 69 Friday that left her tied with Dawn Coe-Jones of Canada at seven-under 137.

Coe-Jones had the best round of the tournament with a bogey-free 65. Laura Davies and Catriona Matthew of Scotland were one shot back.

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Brent Geiberger and Pete Jordan, good friends in search of their first PGA Tour victory, were tied at 11 under for the second-round lead of the Greater Hartford Open at Cromwell, Conn.

Geiberger shot a 63, his lowest round this year on tour. Mark O’Meara is third at 10 under.

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Greg Edwards played the last four holes in six under par, including consecutive eagles on the 16th and 17th holes, in shooting a nine-under 63 that gave him a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the $1.35-million Utah Showdown at Park City.

After a birdie at No. 15, Edwards holed out a wedge from 122 yards for an eagle on the par-four 16th hole. On the par-five 17th, he put a four-iron second shot 20 feet from the pin and sank the putt. A birdie at 18 completed a back-nine 31 over the 7,167-yard Park Meadows Country Club course.

Steve Veriato shot a 64 that stood as Friday’s best round for about seven hours, until Edwards came back following two weather delays to wrest the lead away.

Veriato shot a 63 Monday to qualify, Edwards a 66.

Golf Notes

A group of investors led by Arnold Palmer, actor Clint Eastwood and former baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth finalized an $820-million deal to buy the Pebble Beach Golf Resort.

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In Front

DU MAURIER CLASSIC--Par 72

Dawn Coe-Jones 72-65--137 -7

Juli Inkster 68-69--137 -7

Laura Davies 72-66--138 -6

Catriona Matthew 68-70--138 -6

Hiromi Kobayashi 70-71--141 -3

Lisa Kiggens 70-71--141 -3

Rosie Jones 67-74--141 -3

GREATER HARTFORD OPEN--Par 70

Brent Geiberger 66-63--129 -11

Pete Jordan 64-65--129 -11

Mark O’Meara 66-64--130 -10

Skip Kendall 63-68--131 -9

Kirk Triplett 65-66--131 -9

Justin Leonard 64-67--131 -9

NOVELL UTAH SHOWDOWN--Par 72

Greg Edwards 32-31--63 -9

Steve Veriato 33-31--64 -8