Third Great Round Has Lehman Out In Front By Nine Shots

Unless the wind and rain expected for today’s final round at the Tour Championship blows Tom Lehman into Nebraska, the only drama left at Southern Hills is whether Lehman’s colleagues will vote him player of the year.

Lehman’s third consecutive subpar round at Tulsa, Okla. - a brilliant 64 Saturday - put the British Open champion at 13-under-par 197 after 54 holes, nine shots ahead of Brad Faxon and Vijay Singh.

The lead was the largest 54-hole margin on the PGA Tour since Jack Nicklaus was nine ahead at Ohio’s Kings Island in 1973.

Bob Charles, seeking his third Kaanapali (Hawaii) Classic title, had two front-nine eagles in a 6-under-par 65 for a share of the second-round lead with Hale Irwin.

Charles, a 60-year-old New Zealander who won the 1995 tournament for the last of his 22 senior titles, eagled the par-5 third to pull even with Irwin, then holed a 9-iron from 140 yards on the par-4 eighth to take the lead.

Irwin, who opened with a 63 Friday, was two back at the turn but birdied Nos. 15 and 17 for a 66, matching Charles at 13-under 129.

In Ami, Japan, the U.S. LPGA Tour team won seven of nine matches and took a five-point lead over the Japan tour team after two rounds of the Nichirei International golf tournament. The U.S. team enters the final day with 11-1/2 points to Japan’s 6-1/2.