Trio Leads Colonial, But Tiger’s On Prowl

Beware the Tiger. Once eight shots off the lead, Tiger Woods crawled back into contention Friday with a 5-under-par 65, moving within three shots of the leaders at the halfway point of the MasterCard Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas.

“I’m just concentrating on getting myself into position for Sunday,” the 21-year-old star said after closing in on second-round leaders David Frost, Brad Faxon and Paul Goydos.

“I want to get the lead or be near the lead on the back side on Sunday,” Woods said.

A Colonial title would give the former Stanford ace victories in three consecutive starts, a feat last accomplished on the PGA Tour by Nick Price in 1993.

Frost shot a sparkling 63, Goydos a 65 and Faxon a 66 to forge a three-way tie for the lead at 11-under 129, matching the tournament’s 36-hole record. Former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett shot a 64 for a total of 133, four back of the leaders.

Woods agreed to play at The Memorial Tournament, which begins Thursday in the Columbus, Ohio, suburb of Dublin.

Nick Faldo, trying to earn his way onto the European Ryder Cup team instead of using a captain’s pick, closed with two birdies for a 70, four strokes behind leaders Eamonn Darcy and Darren Clarke after the first round of the Volvo PGA Championship in Virginia Water, England.

Bob Eastwood shot a 4-under-par 66 and held a 1-stroke lead after the first round of the $1,000,000 Bell Atlantic Golf Classic in Malvern, Pa.

Bob Dickson, the 1967 U.S. and British Amateur champion, and John Bland, the 1996 Senior PGA Tour rookie of the year, had 67s.

Former British Open champion John Daly will return to the PGA Tour at next week’s Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, nearly two months after re-entering an alcohol rehabilitation center.

Michele Redman shot a 3-under-par 69 and took a one-stroke lead over three others after two rounds of the $650,000 LPGA Corning Classic in Corning, N.Y.

Carin Hj Koch, defending champion Rosie Jones and Tammie Green are tied for second.

Led by Thuhashini Selvaratnam’s 5-under-par 67, Arizona State forged a tie for the team lead with San Jose State after the third round of the NCAA Division I women’s golf championship in Upper Arlington, Ohio.

Texas’ Heather Bowie shot a 69 to lead the medalist race. She stands at 1-under 215 through 54 holes, one stroke better than San Jose State’s Janice Moodie and two ahead of Selvaratnam.