Fehr Blitzes Through Fog Rick

Fehr, who had not led a round in 1996, fired an 8-under-par 64 for a one-stroke lead over Justin Leonard and Jim Carter in the Buick Open at Grand Blanc, Mich.

The 64, which included nine birdies and one bogey, was Fehr’s best round in six starts at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club. His best previous finish in the Buick Open, where he has earned $7,715, was a tie for 31st in 1989.

The opening round was delayed 1 hour, 45 minutes because of early-morning fog in the region, 60 miles north of Detroit. As a result, the morning round didn’t begin until 9:15 a.m. and the afternoon round also was pushed back.

Karrie Webb, the rookie sensation from Australia, sank a 45-foot birdie putt on the final hole to finish a round of 65 that gave her a three-stroke lead in the first round of the du Maurier Classic at Edmonton, Alberta.

Robin Walton of Clarkston and Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum both shot 73s.

Howard R. Gill Jr., who subsidized the early operation of Golf Digest by working as a chicken farmer then served as the magazine’s publisher for 35 years, died at Fairfield, Conn., after a long battle with cancer. He was 73.