Perry Leads By Three At Pebble Beach

Kenny Perry shot a 67 at Pebble Beach and held a three-stroke lead Saturday after three rounds of the AT&T National Pro-Am.

Peter Jacobson, Brad Faxon, David Duval and Guy Boros were tied for second with 10-under par 206s. Davis Love III, Nick Faldo and Payne Stewart were at 9-under.

Jack Nicklaus, who was 3-under after two days, came back Saturday with a 67 at Pebble Beach for an 8-under 208. The 55-year old has won the tournament three times, 1967, 1972 and 1973.

Kirk Triplett of Pullman, shot a 70 and is eight strokes off the lead at 211.

The first three rounds were played on three different courses. Today’s final round will be played at Pebble Beach.

“You can’t ever get a big enough lead,” said Perry, who has won only two tournaments on the PGA Tour; the Memorial in 1992 and New England last year. “I’m very comfortable and I’m confident with what I am doing,” he said.

Perry had an eagle on his 11th hole at Pebble Beach, which is still wet from 26 straight days of rain in January.

PGA officials kept the “lift, clean and place” rule in effect Saturday to help compensate for course conditions.

Boros, son of the two-time U.S. Open champion Julius Boros, had two bogeys and a double bogey at Spyglass Hill but was able to remain in contention.

Jacobson, who shot 66 at Poppy Hills, was unable to help partner Jack Lemmon make the Pro-Am cut. The pair failed by two strokes at 16-under 200. Lemmon, who has been playing in the tournament for about 30 years, has never made the cut.

“The quest for Jack Lemmon goes on,” said Jacobson. “I did about as well as I could.”

Faxon, the leader after two rounds with a 10-under 134, played Pebble Beach on Saturday and shot 72.

Nicklaus said his round was a welcome change from last year, when he failed to make the cut in any tournament except the U.S. Open.

“It’s good to see Nicklaus and Boros up there again,” Boros said, recalling his father.Tom Watson, who had a 73 on Poppy Hills, finished alongside Nicklaus at 8-under par.

In the Pro-Am division, the lead was held by pro Gil Morgan and Michael Franz, an executive of office supply firm Murata/Muratec. The duo had a team score of 62 on Poppy Hills for a 28-under 188.

Comedian Bill Murray, playing with pro Scott Simpson, made the cut with a 24-under 192.