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Eight share lead on crowded leaderboard

Joe Ogilvie fired a six-under 64 in windy afternoon conditions Friday and in the process joined seven other golfers for the halfway lead of the Greater Hartford Open. Jerry Kelly, Chris DiMarco, Scott Simpson, Doug Dunakey, Shigeki Maruyama, Edward Fryatt, Jay Don Blake and Ogilvie own a one-shot lead at eight-under 132.

The eight-man tie for the lead matches a record for the most people sharing the lead after the completion of a round on the PGA Tour. Eight players shared the first-round lead of last year's Honda Classic.

David Duval, Frank Nobilo, Dudley Hart, David Berganio, Billy Andrade and overnight leader Jonathan Kaye are a shot back at minus-seven.

Ogilvie's round on Friday got off to a rousing start as he holed a seven- iron from 176 yards out for an eagle at his first hole, the 10th at the TPC at River Highlands. He parred the next hole, but posted back-to-back birdies at 12 and 13. The birdies were quickly negated however, as Ogilvie bogeyed the next two after the pair of birdies.

He was nearly flawless the rest of the way as he carded four birdies and no bogeys for his 64.

Winds played havoc on the players with later tee times on Friday and Ogilvie, despite his good score, was not immune.

"The wind totally changed," said Ogilvie, who is winless in three seasons on the PGA Tour. "Yesterday on No. 1, I think I had 90 yards to the front. I hit a sand wedge. Today, I hit a five-iron. That's two totally different deals."

Kelly, who played collegiately at the University of Hartford, carded five front-nine birdies for his five-under 65. The hometown favorite skipped last year's event after he missed the cut in this event the four previous years.

"It was a love-hate relationship. I loved being here and the course hated me," Kelly said. "I know my game is good enough to win. I know I can be there. I just have to be really patient."

DiMarco, who shot 67, was the only competitor to reach nine-under-par when he birdied the par-five sixth hole. However, he gave it back with a bogey on the eighth when he had to chip over a sprinkler head and failed to convert his par putt.

"It played a lot tougher," DiMarco said. "The wind totally changed directions. But all you can really do is put yourself in position for the late nine holes on Sunday."

Simpson and Fryatt each posted rounds of three-under 67 and Maruyama birdied his last hole to get into the logjam at the top.

Dunakey carded a 65 while Blake mixed four birdies and two bogeys for a two-under 68.

Hal Sutton, Frank Lickliter, Tim Herron and two-time former champion Paul Azinger are knotted at six-under 134.

The 36-hole cut fell at even-par 140 and among the notable players who failed to qualify for the weekend are 1997 champion Stewart Cink and sixth- ranked in the world, Davis Love III.

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