Appleby carries big stick at 84 Lumber

FARMINGTON, Pa. -- Stuart Appleby, looking for his first victory since January, unleashed big drive after big drive Friday during his sixth consecutive round in the 60s at the 84 Lumber Classic to open a one-shot lead Friday over an equally long hitter, Chris Smith, and a very accurate Cameron Beckman.

Appleby's 6-under 66 on the long but not especially trouble-filled 7,416-yard Mystic Rock course in Farmington, Pa., put him at 11-under 133. Beckman's 65 and Smith's 66 put them at 134, or two shots better than Craig Barlow (66), Joey Sindelar (68) and Carl Pettersson (70).

Appleby has averaged 320.5 yards with his driver through two rounds, but Smith was even longer Friday with a 341-yard average.

Appleby is among eight golfers using the 84 Lumber to sharpen their games for next week's Presidents Cup, but only Justin Leonard -- three shots back -- is relatively close to the lead. Defending champion Vijay Singh (68) and Stewart Cink (70) are seven behind, and Jim Furyk and Fred Couples missed the cut. So did John Daly, the unofficial tournament host, a year after he finished in a 13th-place tie.

Phil Mickelson, 11 off the lead at even-par 144, flirted with missing the cut for the first time all year, but just made it.

Jason Gore is among a group of six four strokes back after a second-round 72.

World Match Play

Top-seeded Retief Goosen tied his World Match Play record with a 12-and-11 victory over Mark Hensby and will play U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell for a place in the final.

Campbell drew even with Steve Elkington at the 35th, winning at the 37th with a par to reach Saturday's semifinals.

In the other semifinal, Paul McGinley will play Angel Cabrera. McGinley beat third-seeded Ryder Cup teammate Luke Donald 9 and 8 while second-seeded Cabrera, who won the British PGA on this Wentworth course in Virginia Water, England, in May, defeated Jose Maria Olazabal 4 and 3.

Goosen, the world's fifth-ranked player who won events in China and Germany the last two weeks, set the record when he beat Jeff Maggert 12 and 11 last year. The South African's victory over Hensby allowed him to advance to the semis for the first time in six attempts.

LPGA Tour

Sweden's Maria Hjorth shot a course-record 7-under 64 to take a three-stroke lead after the opening round of the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic in Broken Arrow, Okla.

A member of the losing European Solheim Cup team last week, Hjorth had an eagle and seven birdies at Cedar Ridge Country Club to beat the course record of 65, set in the first round last year by Christina Kim and matched in the third round by Dorothy Delasin.

Karine Icher and Michelle Ellis were tied for second after opening 67s. Defending champion Annika Sorenstam had an inconsistent round and finished in a three-way tie for fourth at 68.

Dalhousie Golf Club touring professional Karen Stupples shot an opening 71.

Champions Tour

Bob Gilder tied the tournament and course record with an 8-under 64 for a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the Champions Tour's Constellation Energy Classic in Hunt Valley, Md.

The 54-year-old Gilder needed only eight putts on the front nine at Hayfields Country Club and finished with just 22 for his lowest round on the Champions Tour since 2003 at the Emerald Coast Classic, his last victory.

Tom Watson and Dan Pohl were tied for second after opening 66s. John Bland, John Jacobs, Larry Nelson, Hajime Meshiai and D.A. Weibring were another shot back, and former major league pitcher Rick Rhoden and two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange were in a group at 4 under.

Lee Trevino, playing in his first event since January because of back pain and after undergoing minor surgery in May, opened with an 80.

-- From wire reports