Heavy rain halts second round of women's Open

By The Associated Press

OAKMONT, Pa. - Heavy rain that began with 100 of the 156 golfers still to begin or complete the second round caused play to be suspended Friday at the U.S. Women's Open.

Play is scheduled to resume at 4:30 a.m. today at Oakmont Country Club, with the third round to begin with threesomes teeing off at 2:30 p.m.

Normally, golfers play in pairs the final two rounds.

Sophie Gustafson was the leader on the course at even par when play was halted, but she had completed only one hole of the second round.

Cristie Kerr, coming off her 12-stroke victory in the LPGA Championship two weeks ago, and first-round leader Brittany Lang were the clubhouse leaders at 1-over 143. Kerr shot an even-par 71 on Friday and Lang followed her opening-round 69 with a 3-over 74.

John Deere Classic

SILVIS, Ill. - Defending champion Steve Stricker broke the 36-hole record at the John Deere Classic with a two-round total of 126, which is 16 under at TPC Deere Run.

Stricker, playing in the morning, shot a 5-under 66 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Paul Goydos into the third round. Goydos sent a buzz through the golf world in the opening round by shooting only the fourth 59 in PGA Tour history.

Goydos couldn't maintain the deft putting touch that had enabled him to join golf's most exclusive club and he settled for a 3-under 68, leaving him at 127.

David Frost set the old 36-hole record of 127 in 2000.

Scottish Open

LUSS, Scotland - Darren Clarke was nearly flawless in miserable conditions in the Scottish Open, opening a four-shot lead on a dreary Friday at Loch Lomond.

Clarke chipped in for birdie on the tough 16th and holed a series of 20-foot birdie putts on the front nine for a 4-under 67.

Perhaps more impressive than being at 10-under 132 going into the weekend is that Clarke has made only one bogey - a three-putt from 20 feet on the par-3 11th hole on Friday.

He has played cleanly in conditions that caused Phil Mickelson to take a quintuple-bogey on the 18th hole, and Ernie Els to make consecutive double bogeys as he was trying to finish.