Norman aims for 1st win in 5 years

POTOMAC, Md. -- Earlier this week, Greg Norman said that over-40 players were becoming a "forgotten entity" on the PGA Tour.

No one will forget Norman if he keeps playing like this.

On a day of withering heat and fluctuating scores, the 47-year-old Australian star was one of the few steady hands. He shot a bogey-free 6-under-par 65 Friday to take a two-stroke lead at the midpoint of the Kemper Insurance Open.

Norman had a spring in his step, nearly sprinting at one point while sharing a smile with the scorekeeper, as he headed to the 17th green after putting his tee shot 2 feet from the pin at the par-3 hole. He made the birdie putt, his second in a row, as he kept the momentum from Thursday's 67 to move to 10-under 132.

Winless on the PGA Tour since 1997, Norman said the big challenge at his age was simply getting motivated.

"Sometimes as of late the hardest part is getting to the starting gate," said Norman, who said he hadn't practiced since playing in the WorldCom Classic at Hilton Head in mid-April. "Once you get to the starting gate, everything else is natural, and that's the way I've felt the last couple of days."

Craig Barlow, Bob Estes, Willie Wood and Bob Burns were two shots back.

Kellogg-Keebler Classic

AURORA, Ill. -- With visions of another 59 dancing through her mind, Annika Sorenstam settled for a 63 and the first-round lead in the inaugural Kellogg-Keebler Classic.

Sorenstam, rested and ready to play again after taking last week off, finished at 9 under on the Stonebridge Country Club course, one stroke better than Michele Redman.

Sorenstam, seeking her fourth tour victory of the year, birdied seven of the first eight holes and eight of the first 10.

At that point, the Swedish star was on track to match her LPGA record 59 at Moon Valley in Phoenix last year. But she had only two birdies the rest of the way and three-putted for a bogey on 17.

NFL Golf Classic

CLIFTON, N.J. -- Monday qualifier James Mason shot a 7-under 65 to take a one-stroke over Dave Eichelberger after the first round of the NFL Golf Classic.

John Bland opened with a 67 on the tree-lined Upper Montclair Country Club course, and Jay Sigel, coming off a victory Sunday in the Farmers Charity Classic, joined Dave Barr at 68.

Mason had eight birdies and one bogey in posting his best round in a senior tour event. On Monday, he shot 67 at Green Brook .

-- From wire reports