Overton, Pernice share lead; OU's Kim 3rd

Published: July 5, 2008

BETHESDA, Md. — Jeff Overton doesn't feel like a different player than the guy who could couldn't make it to the weekend on the PGA Tour over the last two months. Funny how seeing the ball go in the hole changes everything.

Overton continued his one-week turnaround Friday with a 5-under 65, giving him a share of the lead with Tom Pernice Jr. in the AT&T National before storms rained on the Fourth of July atmosphere at Congressional and interrupted the second round.

Overton and Pernice, who matched the course record on a soft, still day at Congressional with a 63, were at 9-under 131.

Former Oklahoma Sooner Anthony Kim, living up to his billing as the next young threat in golf, appeared poised to catch the leaders until a 1

-hour storm delay slowed his momentum. A bogey on the par-5 ninth gave him a 67, three shots behind with Cliff Kresge.

Overton hasn't finished in the top 20 all year. He had not broken par since the last week in April.

He missed the cut at the Buick Open last week, his sixth weekend off in his last seven tournaments. He stuck around Detroit for a British Open qualifier — Overton has never played in any major — and was 9-under par over two rounds to finish first in his field and earn a ticket to Royal Birkdale.

•Lee leads LPGA: Seon Hwa Lee birdied five of her final six holes for an 8-under 64 and a two-shot lead in the LPGA Tour's NW Arkansas Championship in Rogers, Ark.

Lee hit a pitching wedge from 104 yards to about 3 feet on No. 18, setting up her last birdie.

The start was delayed about five hours. When the first groups finally started, Stacy Lewis took center stage. With a gallery of around 200 cheering, the former University of Arkansas star began with birdies on Nos. 1, 3 and 4.

Lewis finished with a 69 on the 6,238-yard course, four strokes worse than her tournament-best score a year ago. Because the event lasted only 18 holes last year, she didn't get credit for an official victory.

H.J. Choi (66) was second, a shot ahead of Ai Miyazato and Eun-Hee Ji.

•OSU's Whitekiller wins amateur tourney: Oklahoma State junior Trent Whitekiller of Sallisaw won a prominent amateur golf tournament in Sammamish, Wash.

Whitekiller earned medalist honors in the 15th Sahalee Players Championship, winning by two shots over Southern California's Matthew Giles. UCLA's Erik Flores finished another shot back in third.

Heavy rains Thursday caused the tournament's final round to be canceled. Over 54 holes, Whitekiller finished with a 6-under-par 210.

The tournament is held annually at the Sahalee Country Club, the site of the 1998 PGA Championship. Its previous winners include Daniel Summerhays, Kyle Stanley, Arron Oberholser, Casey Martin and Jason Gore.

•Ozaki leads Champions: Joe Ozaki shot a 9-under 63, his best round in three years on the Champions Tour, to take a two-shot lead over Argentina's Eduardo Romero in the Dick's Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, N.Y.

Joey Sindelar, Ronnie Black, and Fulton Allem were tied for third at 66, while John Harris, Des Smyth, Bobby Wadkins, and Morris Hatalsky were another shot back.

Bernhard Langer, second on the Champions Tour in earnings and playing the En-Joie Golf Club course for the first time, shot a 73.

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