Perry On Course, Again

Kenny Perry, brimming with confidence and fine golf shots, rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt on No. 18 for a one-shot lead over Corey Pavin after three rounds of the Nissan Open in Los Angeles.

Coming off a victory in the Bob Hope Desert Classic last week and a record-tying round at Riviera Country Club the previous day, Perry shot a 3-under-par 68 to go to 13 under par.

Pavin also is trying to make it two straight wins, only in the Los Angeles tournament. The defending champion, Pavin began the third round a shot behind Perry, drew even with a birdie on the first hole, then went ahead when Perry bogeyed No. 3.

Pullman’s Kirk Triplett has a three-day total of 210, 10 strokes behind the leader.

At Acapulco, Mexico, Tom Weiskopf and Jim Albus combined for the day’s best score, a 7-under-par 65, pacing a four-match sweep by the United States over the International team in the Chrysler Cup senior competition.

The United States built a 6-1 lead after two rounds and needs to win only two of today’s eight singles matches to clinch its eighth title in 10 years.

Greg Norman and Vijay Singh led an Australian resurgence as the western Pacific team won six of eight matches against Southern Africa to pull within three points in the Alfred Dunhill Challenge in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Behind 6-1 at the start of the second day of the Ryder Cup-style tournament for the southern hemisphere, the team comprising players from Australia, New Zealand and Fiji made a big charge. Nine singles matches remain today.