HARRISON, New York, 22 June 2003 — South African Retief Goosen closed the gap on overnight leader Briny Baird to one stroke with a five-under-par 66 in the second round of the $5 million Buick Classic on Friday.

Baird, who led by three shots after a career-low 63 in the opening round, carded a 69 for a 10-under total of 132; one ahead of Goosen and two clear of Skip Kendall (66). Joey Sindelar (69) was in fourth place on 135.

World number one Tiger Woods (69), Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama (69), JL Lewis (68), Brad Faxon (67), Jonathan Kaye (66) and Tom Gillis (65) were all on 136, six under, at Westchester Country Club.

Baird, whose best performance in four years on the PGA Tour was a second-place finish at the 2001 John Deere Classic, had seven birdies on Friday but also recorded three bogeys and a double bogey.

The 31-year-old American is back on more familiar ground because he had never previously held the 18-hole lead.

Goosen, the 2001 US Open champion, was one-over for the first eight holes but then eagled the par-five ninth for the second straight round. He also added four birdies on the back nine.

Woods put together his first back-to-back rounds in the 60s since the Bay Hill Invitational in March, his last victory on the tour. The world number one was 20th at last week’s US Open, his worst finish of the season.

Aussie Teske Opens

Two-Stroke LPGA Lead

In Pittsford, New York, Australia’s Rachel Teske, seeking her second victory in a row, fired a four-under-par 68 on Friday to open a two-stroke lead over Canadian A.J. Eathorne at the Rochester LPGA tournament.

Despite playing with recurring rib pain, Teske finished 36 holes at seven-under 137.

Teske won a four-way playoff last week that included Swedish superstar Annika Sorenstam, who was denied her third straight title. Teske birdied the third playoff hole to end an 11-month drought for her seventh career victory.

Teske, 10th on the LPGA money list after doubling her season total with $150,000 last weekend, began the day tied for third, two strokes behind first-round leader Tina Barrett. Teske fired five birdies against a lone bogey.

Defending champion Karrie Webb of Australia endured a long day and signed for a 4-over 76 that left her tied for 31st at 145. She began the second round tied for third.

Webb has not won since the Women’s British Open 10 months ago. A year ago, she fired an 8-under 64 in the first round here, posted back-to-back 72s and closed with a 68. Webb also captured this event in 1999 and is trying to become the first three-time winner in its 27-year history.

Eathorne, who opened with a 68, settled for a 71 to stand alone in second. She hit eight fairways, double her total on Thursday, but did not get the same results. She recorded four birdies and three bogeys in an up-and-down round.