Senior Rookie In Lead

At Alpharetta, Ga., Bruce Summerhays shot a 9-under-par 63 to build a three-shot lead in the opening round of the Nationwide Seniors Championship.

Summerhays, a 50-year-old winless Senior rookie and father of eight, missed the Senior PGA Tour record by two shots on the picturesque, hilly terrain of the 6,777-yard Lakeside Course at the Country Club of Georgia.

At Somers Point, N.J., Betsy King was 4-under through nine holes, and Barb Thomas and Michele Redman were one shot back after 18, but it was rain that dominated the first round of the $650,000 ShopRite-LPGA Classic.

Two rain delays totaling more than five hours made life miserable for the 144-woman field, 70 of whom didn’t finish their opening rounds.

They’ll pick up play this morning before the full field tees off for the second round.

At Colts Neck, N.J., play was rained out in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship.