POTOMAC, Maryland, 27 June 2004 — Australia’s Adam Scott joined the low-scoring binge at the TPC at Avenel on Friday, shooting a nine-under-par 62 to forge a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Booz Allen Classic.

Standing on 14-under 128, Scott had nine birdies and no bogeys on a day when play was delayed for two hours because of dangerous weather conditions, but the entire field completed the second round.

Olin Browne carded a 66 and shares second place on 130 with first-round leader Charles Howell III, who followed his opening round 61 with a two-under-par 69.

Glen Day flirted with a possible 59 before setting for a 62 and joint fourth on 131 with former PGA Championship winner Rich Beem.

Day, who has not won on the PGA Tour since 1999, reached 10-under on his round through 15 holes when play was stopped for the weather.

Needing two birdies over the final three holes, Day instead made two pars and a bogey.

Former British Open champion Tom Lehman holds solo sixth place on 133.

Arron Oberholser, South Africa’s Rory Sabbatini and Bill Haas shared seventh place on six-under 134.

Sabbatini is the defending champion, while Haas, the son of tour veteran Jay Haas, is making his first professional start.

Japan’s Hidemichi Tanaka, Steve Stricker and Michael Bradley are another shot back in 10th.

With many scores carded in the 60s, any over-par round sent a player tumbling down the field. Australia’s Aaron Baddeley, for example, was tied for 10th after the opening round on 67. He carded a three-over 74 on Friday to fall into a tie for 69th and just made the cut of one-under.

Remesy Takes 3-Shot Lead in French Open

In Versailles, France, Jean-Francois Remesy, bidding to become the first Frenchman to win his home open for 35 years, took a three-shot lead into today’s French Open final round.

After his second round co-leader Ian Woosnam floundered late yesterday, Remesy’s nearest challenger is now Australian left-hander Richard Green.

Remesy hit a third-round Le National course record-equaling six-under-par 65 with a fine putting display, moving to 12-under-par 201.

Not since Jean Garaialde in 1969 has a Frenchman lifted his country’s premier golf trophy.

Green’s 66 moved him past Welshman Woosnam, whose double-bogey at the 15th and final-hole bogey contributed to him slipping back to third place, seven shots behind the leader. Green, looking for a second tour win to go with his 1997 Dubai Desert Classic playoff success over Woosnam and Greg Norman, collected seven birdies.

Woosnam has also not won since 1997, but is hunting the 30th European Tour title of his career. Seven strokes may be too much for the 46-year-old former world number one and 1991 US Masters champion.

Britain’s Paul Casey broke the course record by a stroke with a 65 to climb to 11th, 11 shots off the lead but in position to give himself a chance for the third-place finish that could clinch his Ryder Cup debut.

Kung Grabs Share of LPGA Lead While Annika Lurks

In Pittsford, New York, Taiwan’s Candie Kung fired a four-under par 68 Friday to match American Kim Saiki for the lead after the second round of the LPGA Rochester tournament.

But both co-leaders had to cast a glance over their shoulders at Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam, who moved within three strokes of them with a stunning 66.

Kung began the second round just a stroke off Saiki’s pace and ended the day level with the title-less 12-year veteran at nine-under par 135, one ahead of Britain’s Becky Morgan and two ahead of Americans Juli Inkster and Rosie Jones.

Kung, 22, seeks her first victory of the year after winning three events in 2003. She has only three top-10 finishes in 12 starts this season, ranking 38th on the money list with $124,716.

Saiki, 38, has no top-10 showings in 12 starts this seasons. Her best finish since turning pro in 1991 was second, which she has done four times, most recently in 1998.

Sorenstam, alone in sixth, has won four of eight starts this year, including her seventh major title earlier this month at the LPGA Championship. The Swedish star seeks her 53rd career LPGA crown.

Kung, who began on the back nine, sank a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-four 13th and chipped to three feet at the par-five 17th to set up another birdie.