Golf roundup
Flock of birdies help Browne soar to share of lead NORTON, Mass. (AP) – Olin Browne didn’t have a lot of answers Saturday, only birdies.
Browne hardly missed a shot in the second round on his way to five consecutive birdies and a 6-under 65 that gave him a share of the lead with Jeff Brehaut in the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Browne hit the ball so well on the TPC at Boston that he had only one birdie outside 15 feet on his first 11 holes and converted most of them. His only bogey on a breezy, sunny afternoon was a three-putt from 25 feet, and he made pars the rest of the way to join Brehaut at 9-under 133.
Brehaut, who for the first time doesn’t have to sweat over keeping his PGA Tour card, had a 66. They led by one shot over Robert Allenby (65), Billy Andrade (68) and Tim Petrovic (66).
Tiger Woods didn’t have a good explanation, either.
Coming off a flawless 65 that gave him the first-round lead, Woods was constantly scrambling for par and searching for a swing that would work.
He wound up with a 2-over 73 that left him five shots behind.
LPGA State Farm Classic
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Solheim Cup player Pat Hurst shot a 7-under 65 to take a three-stroke lead in the LPGA State Farm Classic, the final event before the United States faces Europe next week at Crooked Stick.
Hurst, who won the last of her three LPGA Tour titles in 2000, had eight birdies and a bogey in the third round to finish at 15-under 201.
First Tee Open
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Hale Irwin shot a 3-under 69 at Pebble Beach for a share of the second-round lead with Gil Morgan in the First Tee Open.
The 60-year-old Irwin, the Champions Tour’s career victory leader with 42, birdied the final two holes to match Morgan at 9-under 135.
Morgan, a 23-time winner on the 50 and over circuit who is trying to win a tour event for the 10th straight year, had a tournament-best 65 at Del Monte.
Defending champion Craig Stadler (68), Dan Pooley (67), Lonnie Nielsen (67) and Morris Hatalsky (68) were 7 under, and Mark McCumber (69), Keith Fergus (68) and Walter Hall (71) were another stroke back.
European Masters
CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland – Sergio Garcia holed a 110-yard shot on the final hole for an eagle, giving the Spaniard an even-par 71 and a one-stroke lead after the third round of the European Masters.