Leonard 2 Up On Western Open Field

Justin Leonard shot an 8-under-par 64 Friday to take a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Western Open at the 7,073-yard, par-72 Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Ill.

Tiger Woods was at even par and fell four strokes off the pace.

Leonard, 9 under for the tournament, had nine birdies on an unseasonably chilly day at Cog Hill’s Dubsdread course.

The three golfers closest to Leonard, who won the Kemper Open last month for his second PGA Tour victory, were Billy Andrade, Mike Hulbert and Michael Bradley.

Jeff Sluman, a Chicago-area native, and Jay Delsing were another stroke back. First-round leader Mark O’Meara, Ted Tryba, Scott Hoch, Brent Geiberger and Tommy Armour III joined Woods four back at 5-under.

Woods, who took a week off because he felt drained by the rigors of being the sport’s most popular player, shot a 67 in the first round. But he never got going Friday and felt fortunate to be only four behind Leonard.

Former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett made the cut by one stroke with a two-day score of 76-70-146.

LPGA’s Robbins ties course record

Kelly Robbins tied a course record with a 7-under-par 64 and built a two-stroke lead midway through the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic in Sylvania, Ohio.

Robbins was at 11-under-par 131 after two tours of the 6,319-yard Highland Meadows Golf Club, two better than first-round leader Karrie Webb of Australia, who shot a 68.

Robbins had seven birdies, including four on putts of 15 feet or longer. She closed out her round with birdies on three of the final four holes, including a 25-foot putt on the 16th hole and a 35-footer on the par-5 17th after exploding out of a bunker.

Rathdrum, Idaho’s Tracy Hanson shot a 72 and stands 2 under at 140.

Eastwood, Ojala share Senior lead

Bob Eastwood, who skipped the U.S. Senior Open last week to freshen his game, shot a 6-under-par 65 to share the lead in the first round of the $1 million Kroger Senior Classic in Mason, Ohio.

David Ojala, a provisional qualifier playing in only his eighth tournament in three years, started with a bogey, but then put together five birdies on the front nine and finished with two more on the back.

Jay Sigel and Jimmy Powell were one stroke back, followed at 67 by Al Geiberger, Calvin Peete, Hubert Green and John Schroeder.

Fifty-three players in the field of 78 shot par or better.

Brodie takes first-round lead

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and senior PGA professional John Brodie shot a 5-under-par 67 to take a one-stroke lead after Friday’s opening round of the $500,000 Isuzu Celebrity Classic at Stateline, Nev.

Brodie birdied the final two holes, including a 50-foot putt on the 17th hole.

The two closing birdies gave Brodie a one-stroke lead over Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Trent Dilfer, who birdied the first four holes. Rudy Gatlin of the Grammy Award-winning Gatlin Brothers was third at 3-under.