Zarley Birdies Way To Senior Open Lead

Yakima native Kermit Zarley started listening to his son - who also happens to be his caddie - and used four consecutive birdies Friday to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the U.S. Senior Open.

Zarley, who argued with son Mike after missing a 4-foot putt on the first hole, shot his second straight 69 and was the only player at 2-under-par on the challenging North Course at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill.

Graham Marsh shot a 67, the tournament’s best round, to join Dave Eichelberger, Tom Wargo and John Bland one stroke behind Zarley. Jimmy Powell was two back at even-par.

Most big-name golfers made the cut, though each will need a big weekend performance to contend. Chi Chi Rodriguez trailed by five strokes, Lee Trevino by six, Jack Nicklaus by seven and Hale Irwin by nine.

Greg Norman waited out a 3-1/2-hour rain delay, then sank two putts for a 6-under 65 and the clubhouse lead before rain suspended the second round of the $1.5 million St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tenn.

Norman’s bogey-free round put him at 9-under 133 for two rounds at the TPC at Southwind course. Gene Sauers was at 10-under with one hole remaining when play was suspended after the day’s third rain delay.

Robert Damron, who shared the first-round lead at 6-under with Sauers and Lennie Clements, hadn’t teed off yet. Among the players in the clubhouse, Tommy Armour III (67) and Jay Don Blake (64) were tied at 8-under 134.

Annika Sorenstam, already a four-time winner this year on the LPGA tour with eight top-three finishes in 12 starts, was nearly perfect as she made six birdies and an eagle to shoot a 6-under-par 65, one stroke ahead of Caroline Blaylock in the Shoprite LPGA Classic at Greate Bay Resort and Country Club in Somers Point, N.J.

Clarkston’s Robin Walton shot a 72 and Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum, Idaho, shot a 74.

Titleist, which pulled more than $1 million in ads from Sports Illustrated to protest the magazine’s coverage of women’s golf, has ended its boycott of the publication.

Although lawyers for golfer Tiger Woods said the Franklin Mint Corp. has agreed to stop advertising and shipping a sterling silver medallion commemorating his Masters’ victory, it’s not what the mint is telling its customers.

Potential customers calling to ask to purchase the Woods medal that the Franklin Mint has sold for $37.50 are told by operators that, “We’re currently sold out. We’ve taken all the orders. We’re not making any more. It’s a limited edition.”