Fernandez (64) Passes Watson

While everybody else was playing for par, Vicente Fernandez just kept aiming at the flag.

Fernandez went birdie-birdie-eagle early in his round, then closed it with three birdies in a glittering seven-under-par 64 on Friday that gave him a one-shot lead over Tom Watson after two rounds of the U.S. Senior Open at Toledo, Ohio.

Fernandez’s round left him at five-under 137. It was the lowest round of the day by five shots and was 14 strokes under the average score of the 156-player field.

The 57-year-old Argentine, who has two seconds and three thirds in senior major championships, started Friday in a logjam for 12th, seven shots behind Watson, the first-round leader with a 66.

While the rest of the field -- including Watson -- had difficulty gauging the speed of the hard, fast greens at Inverness Club, Fernandez hit his approaches so close that he eliminated a lot of the guesswork.

Watson started and ended his round of 72 with bogeys and was at 138. Bruce Lietzke was at 140 after a 71, with Allen Doyle (69) at 141 and Fuzzy Zoeller another stroke back after a 71.

Among those making the cut of nine-over 151 were two-time Senior Open winners Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.

Those who missed the cut included former major league pitcher Rick Rhoden, playing in his first senior major, Jim Colbert, David Graham and 1999 senior Open winner Dave Eichelberger.

*

With Annika Sorenstam having mixed success using a new ball and phenom Michelle Wie struggling with her putter, three less-publicized players shared the first-round lead in the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Galloway Township, N.J.

Laura Diaz, Kris Lindstrom and Angela Stanford shot six-under 65s and held a one-shot lead over Juli Inkster.

The anticipated battle between Sorenstam and Wie -- two of the highest-profile players in women’s golf -- didn’t materialize on a hot, humid day on the Bay Course of the Seaview Marriott Resort and Spa.

The No. 1 player in women’s golf, Sorenstam shot a scrambling 70. Wie, 13, settled for a par round of 71 and missed six makable birdie putts.

“Some days you are lucky and some days you are not,” said Wie, the U.S. Amateur Women’s Public Links champion. “Today was one of the days I was playing good and then I had bad breaks.”

*

John Huston made a six-foot birdie putt on his final hole for an eight-under 63 and joined PGA Tour rookie Richard S. Johnson as a co-leader after the second round of the St. Jude Classic at Memphis, Tenn.

Huston turned in his best round of the year with an eagle and six birdies for a 130 total.

Johnson, a native of Sweden, shot a 66 during a long day.

He had to play 25 holes, completing the first round, which had been suspended by rain Thursday.

David Peoples (66) was at 131, with Fredrik Jacobson (67) and David Gossett (67) at 133.

*

Defending champion Nico Bollini shot rounds of 67-68 at Torrey Pines South and has a four-shot lead over Roy Moon in the Southern California Amateur Championship.