Kite takes lead on windswept day

Tom Kite and Graham Marsh were right at home on the wind-swept Kemper Lakes Golf Club.

Kite battled through 25-mph gusts today to birdie four of the last five holes and finish the second round of the SBC Senior Open with a 5-under-par 139, one stroke ahead of Marsh. Kite's 4-under 68 tied for the second best round of the day.

``I was loving the conditions today,'' Kite said. ``I hope it blows like this again tomorrow.''

Kite and Marsh were two of the 10 players in the 76-man field who managed sub-par rounds in the tricky conditions.

Marsh, a native Australian, is alone at 140 after his second consecutive round of 70.

``Australia is one of the windiest countries in the world,'' Marsh said. ``Playing in wind has just been a part of my life. I'm a natural low-ball hitter.''

Kite was even for the day Saturday after bogeying the 13th hole, but came back with birdies on Nos. 14, 15 and 16 to move into the lead. He then sank a 20-footer for birdie on the par-4 18th despite sending his drive through the fairway.

Five of Kite's six birdies came on putts of 15 feet or longer.

``You're going to have to make some decent-size putts because in these weather conditions you're going to hit very few irons in there really close,'' Kite said. ``It took me a little while to make a few putts, but they came at the end.''

Marsh's birdies came in pairs as he picked up strokes on Nos. 3 and 4 and then again on 15 and 16 to offset bogeys on the par-3 sixth and the par-4 12th.

``Two-under was a pretty good score today,'' Marsh said. ``One wrong shot at the wrong time and you can run up a big number.''

John Bland, Bruce Fleisher and Bruce Summerhays head into Sunday's final round tied two strokes back at 3-under. Bland shot a 69 Saturday, Fleisher was even for the day and Summerhays had a 73.

Bob Eastwood is three strokes off the lead at 2-under after firing a 68.

Ed Dougherty moved into contention after shooting a tournament-best 67 to move into a four-man pack at 1-under entering Sunday's final round.

Larry Nelson and Walter Hall were in the lead at 4-under before making the turn to the back nine. Hall double-bogeyed the par-4 10th and finished at 1-under, while Nelson had two bogeys and a double bogey on the back nine to finish at even par.

Only 10 players finished with sub-par two-day totals.

If Kite can hold onto his lead, he will add to the mystique of a much-heralded rookie class on the Senior PGA Tour.

Kite has already won once this year on the senior tour, and fellow rookies Lanny Wadkins and Doug Tewell also have posted victories. Tom Watson hasn't won yet this year, but won one of his two senior starts in 1999.

Two-time defending champion Hale Irwin is facing an uphill battle. Irwin, who started the day at even par, made five bogeys and just one birdie on the back nine to finish at 149.

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