Golf Roundup : Floyd Survives Storm--and Some Hot Shooting

Raymond Floyd withstood a 5-hour 10-minute rain delay and challenges from three little-known players Friday to hold on to the lead by one stroke when play was suspended in the $600,000 Greater Hartford Open golf tournament at Cromwell, Conn.

Floyd shot a three-under-par 68 for a 132 total. Hard-charging Steve Pate, who shot a 65, is at 133.

But that wasn’t the best round of the rain-soaked day. Dave Lundstrom, another lesser light on the PGA Tour, equaled the Tournament Players Club of Connecticut course record of 63, which was set last year by Peter Jacobsen.

Lundstrom’s round included a hole-in-one on the 172-yard No. 16, and it left him in a tie for third place at 135 with Jodie Mudd, who shot a 67.

A morning rainstorm with gusting winds stalled play from 8:30 a.m. EDT until 1:40 p.m, and Floyd said he was exhausted and annoyed at the manner in which the delay was handled.

Floyd had just teed off at 8:30 a.m. when play was halted, and he didn’t finish his round until 6 p.m.

Half of the field was still on the course when play was suspended at about 7:30 p.m. The second round will be completed today, and the third and fourth rounds will be played Sunday.

Australian Graham Marsh shot a four-under-par 68 for a 136 to take a two-stroke lead over Northern Ireland’s David Feherty after two rounds of 66th Dutch Open at Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

Arnold Palmer’s return to seniors competition was wiped out by the remnants of a tropical storm that pelted Newport Country Club and forced postponement of the first round of a $175,000 pro-amateur tournament at Newport, R.I.

Palmer, 55, who had surgery for removal of benign fatty tumors on his right side less than two weeks ago, was the leader, at two under par through 12 holes, when action was halted.

Jane Geddes shot a record eight-under-par 64 to grab a share of first place with Laurie Rinker and Sally Little after two rounds of the $300,000 Du Maurier LPGA tournament at Montreal.

Geddes, of Summerville, S.C., made seven birdies, an eagle and a bogey en route to breaking the 39-year-old record at Beaconsfield Golf Club. Ellsworth Vines shot a 65 on the 6,033-yard course on June 28, 1946, during the Canadian Open men’s tournament.

The leaders were at 137. Rinker and Little each shot a 69.

Alice Miller, the money leader on the LPGA Tour this year with four victories, shot a 73 and was at 141.