Fernandez, Jacobsen even
Vicente Fernandez added some drama to Peter Jacobsen’s homecoming party in Aloha, Ore.
Fernandez birdied the final hole Saturday for a 6-under 66 and a share of the third-round lead with Jacobsen at 12 under in the Tradition, the Champions Tour’s last major of the year.
Jacobsen, the second-round leader, shot a 69.
The Portland native was hurt by a bogey on the 17th hole. Then his 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th came to rest about 3 inches short.
“Hopefully tomorrow I’ll make the ones I’m not supposed to make,” he said.
Allen Doyle shot a 64 to reach 11 under. He wrapped up the third round with an eagle and three straight birdies on the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club course.
“I eagled 15, birdied 16 and made the putt on 17, and had the ingredients for a heck of a day,” Doyle said.
D.A Weibring also shot a 69 to finish at 9 under.
The 50-year-old Jacobsen is making his first appearance in the tournament he helped bring to his home state.
He was clearly having a blast Saturday. He went into the round at 9 under, with a one-shot lead over Bruce Lietzke.
After three straight pars, Jacobsen started making his move, birdieing his next two. Perhaps his most spectacular shot of the day came on No. 11, with a 54-foot shot from the rough on the left of the green for birdie.
He played the rest of his round at par until the bogey on No. 17.
Fernandez, one of three leaders after the first round, entered play Saturday at 7 under. He crept up the leaderboard with solid play: six birdies and no bogeys.
The 58-year-old Argentine suggested the local support for Jacobsen won’t make a difference today.
“It is very nice to have the home crowd to cheer, but at the end of the day, you have to hit the ball,” Fernandez said.
Funk regains Buick lead
Fred Funk needed a late rally to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Buick Championship in Cromwell, Conn.
With 20 players within four strokes of the lead, the 48-year-old Ryder Cup rookie will have to hold off a gang of players today to pick up his first win in six years.
“It was a pretty good struggle out there today,” Funk said. “What I think is going to happen tomorrow is by the time I tee off, somebody is already going to be in double figures. You’ve just got to ignore that and go play.”
The second-round co-leader, Funk shot a 1-under 69 and is 9 under for the tournament. He was just ahead of Tom Byrum and first-round leader Corey Pavin. Joey Sindelar and Hunter Mahan were two strokes back and nine others are at 6-under after three rounds.
Park in front at Wachovia Classic
Grace Park closed with an eagle and two birdies for a 7-under-par 65 and a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Wachovia LPGA Classic in Kutztown, Pa.
Park’s 17-under 199 is a 54-hole record of the event, two strokes better than Michelle Ellis’ 201 in 2002.
Second-round leader Jill McGill is one stroke behind after a 2-under 70, and Soo-Yun Kang (68) is another shot back at 201. Laura Diaz (67) is three strokes off the pace.
Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., is six shots off the pace heading into the final round. She shot a 69 on Saturday to put her in a tie for seventh place at 11-under 205.
The starting times for today’s final round were moved up to 7:30 a.m. PST because of the forecast for rain late in the afternoon.
Levet shares BMW Open lead
Thomas Levet shot a 9-under-par 63 and shared the third-round lead with Miguel Angel Jimenez at the BMW International Open in Nord Eichenried, Germany, where a half-dozen players are vying for European Ryder Cup berths.
Jimenez of Spain had a 67 and was at 15-under 201 with Levet, a Frenchman who missed the course record by a stroke. Two strokes behind were South Africa’s Retief Goosen (68) and Austria’s Markus Brier (67).
Ireland’s Paul McGinley and Englishmen Ian Poulter, David Howell and Paul Casey — all within seven strokes of the lead — have the inside track on Ryder Cup spots. But Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson was tied for fifth and three strokes back, threatening to displace one of them.