Tiger Stalks Colonial Leader
As relentless as his beastly nickname, Tiger Woods stalked a rare PGA “triple,” three victories in as many starts.
He was four strokes back on Thursday, three on Friday. He trails David Ogrin by one shot going into today’s final round of the MasterCard Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas.
“It’s all about setting yourself up for the final stretch,” Woods said Saturday after a 6-under-par 64 propelled him to a 14-under 196 total.
That was a stroke behind Ogrin, who fired a tournament-low, 8-under 62.
Reeling off six straight birdies at one point, and without a bogey on his card, Ogrin came within a whisker of matching the course record of 61.
“It was a good round,” he said, beaming. “A really good round. A really, really good round.”
Woods was impressed, but hardly intimidated.
With victories at the Masters and Byron Nelson in his last two starts, Woods is zeroing in not only on a triple but his fourth PGA title of 1997.
And nobody - not Palmer, Nicklaus, Hogan, Nelson - has ever done this much this fast.
With whistling, howling, delirious fans cheering every shot, Woods opened Saturday with a birdie, gave it back at the par-4 4th, then collected birdies at Nos. 6, 8, 11, 14, 15 and 17.
He capped it all with a knee-rattling 8-foot putt at the 18th to save par.
Ogrin was all smiles as he discussed going head-to-head with Woods today.
Ogrin pointed out that he won the Texas Open last year, beating Jay Haas by one stroke and Woods by two.
“I did prevail over Tiger Woods at San Antonio,” he continued in a light vein. “That was at the beginning of full hurricane force Tigermania. So I’m a member of the Tiger Killer Club. There’s not many members, actually.”
He said he looks forward to the showdown.
“Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world today,” he explained. “You’ve got to want to face Tiger Woods the same way you want to face Michael Jordan or Greg Maddux.”
And a victory over Woods?
“That,” he confessed, “would be one for the ages.”
Former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett shot a 67 and is five shots off the pace.
Woosnam leads Volvo
The second round of the $1.79 million Volvo PGA Championship in Virginia Water, England, turned into a battle of former Masters champions - Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo.
Woosnam shot a 4-under-par 68 for a 135 total and a two-stroke lead, while four-time champion Faldo had a 67 for a share of second place.
Green on top in Corning
Tammie Green shot a 5-under-par 67 and took a two-stroke lead over Michele Redman after three rounds in the $650,000 LPGA Corning Classic in Corning, N.Y.
Green, who earned her fifth career victory in the Sprint Titleholders Championship earlier this month, had an eagle and three birdies in moving to an 8-under 208 total with her third sub-par round of the tournament.
Eastwood in front at Bell Atlantic
Bob Eastwood, still looking for his first Senior PGA Tour victory, moved a step closer with a 1-under-par 69 that kept him in the lead after two rounds of the $1 million Senior Bell Atlantic Golf Classic in Malvern, Pa.
Sorenstam earns big check
Annika Sorenstam, the leading money winner on the women’s tour this year, earned $80,000 over the opening nine holes of the JCPenney LPGA Skins Game in Frisco, Texas.
Sorenstam won four skins and birdied five of the first nine holes, while Karrie Webb, the No. 2 money-winner, won one skin and $20,000 at Stonebriar Country Club.
Laura Davies, the all-time leading Skins Game money winner with $480,000, and Dottie Pepper, No. 2 all-time, failed to win a skin. The event continues today.