'Big Easy' manages comfortable cushion

By Compiled from Times staff and wire reports

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 6, 2000

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. -- Ernie Els, nicknamed "The Big Easy," found it hard going in the latter stages of his round Saturday. Still, he emerged with a tournament record and a comfortable lead in The International.

Despite faltering down the stretch with two bogeys over his last five holes, Els rode the strength of four early birdies and had an eight-point lead heading into today's final round.

"I felt like I was out there forever," Els said. "What did it take, 51/2 hours? Everything was kind of okay until I got to the 14th tee, when we waited 15 to 20 minutes and a weird wind came up. I just didn't play well coming in."

Els took some comfort, but not too much, in his lead, which is the largest heading into the final round since this tournament went to the points format in 1993.

MICHELOB LIGHT CLASSIC: Lorie Kane shot 6-under 66 to take the lead after the second round in Eureka, Mo. Kane, who never has won on the LPGA tour, played her second bogey-free round at Fox Run Golf Club to put her at 10-under for the tournament and give her a two-shot lead over Rosie Jones.

Kane had six birdies, highlighted by a chip-in from the fringe on the 18th. Kane is the only player in the field not to have made a bogey through two rounds of the 54-hole event.

BURNET CLASSIC: Ed Dougherty shot 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead after the second round in Coon Rapids, Minn. Dougherty, a four-time runner-up last year, has put himself in position for his first Senior victory. He had 14 birdies and one bogey in shooting a two-round 131 en route to a 36-hole tournament record of 13-under.

SCANDINAVIAN MASTERS: Lee Westwood shot his worst round in this tournament , 2-under 69, and still stretched his lead to six strokes heading into the final 18 holes.

ZEPHYRHILLS OPEN: A pair from Plant City started to pull away from the Zephyrhills Open field at Silver Oaks.

William Kimbrell and Seth Strickland shared the lead at 6-under. Ryan Lee was within striking distance at 3-under, while Dick Harrell, the first-round co-leader, and Mark Francis were six back at par.

Kimbrell matched his first round with another 69 to maintain the lead. While the rain dogged the field Friday, the heat took its toll in the second round.

"If anything, the heat was really taxing," Kimbrell said. "I'm going to come out and do the same thing I did today, play par golf."

Strickland shot 5-under 67, the tournament's best round. Strickland birdied the second and 18th holes to shave four strokes off his first-round score. Strickland had bogeyed both holes Friday.

"The rain Friday made the greens a little slow. I putted better today," Strickland said. PARENT-CHILD TOURNEY: John and Johnny Ward, three-time defending champs in the Florida State Parent-Child Championship, shared the lead after shooting a 5-under 67 at Lake Buena Vista.

- Times correspondent Wayne Grumet contributed to this report.

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