Els, Maggert Prepare For Head-To-Head Finish

Golf

Jeff Maggert couldn’t catch Ernie Els during the last round of the U.S. Open. He gets another chance on the final day of the Buick Classic in Harrison, N.Y.

With Els seemingly ready to lap the Buick field for the second straight year, Maggert shot a dogged 5-under 66 Saturday to finish within three strokes of Els after 54 holes.

He will go head-to-head with the South African today for a championship that Els had seemingly wrapped up Saturday when he opened an eight-stroke lead.

“Even though Ernie had a big lead, if you can play with him and make some birdies and put some pressure on him, it’s to my advantage,” Maggert said. “Three shots is nothing on our tour.”

Maggert was among the group of Els, Tom Lehman and Colin Montgomerie who battled over the final nine holes for the U.S. Open title last weekend at Congressional. Maggert eventually finished fourth as Els won his second Open title.

Els, who won the Buick Classic by eight shots in 1996, seemed ready to put away the field Saturday when he opened his comfortable lead.

But he bogeyed out of the rough on No. 13 and out of the sand on No. 16 to come back to the field. His 4-under round of 67 was good for a three-round total of 14-under 199. That broke by one stroke the record he set last year for best 54-hole score in the Buick Classic.

Jim Furyk was alone at 9-under 204 following a 69 and Robert Damron was at 205 after a 68.

Tiger Woods shot an even-par 71 and was 16 strokes behind Els at 2-over 215. Woods, who had a streak of 11 straight rounds under par starting with the first round of the Masters, has now failed to break par in 10 of his last 11 rounds.

Finney takes LPGA lead

Allison Finney edged to the front in the Rochester (N.Y.) International, shooting a 3-under-par 67 while nearly all the early leaders failed to match par in tricky wind conditions.

The exception was defending champion Dottie Pepper, whose 71 left her just one stroke off the pace alongside Gail Graham of Canada (66) and second-round co-leader Nanci Bowen (74).

Finney jumped ahead with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 11th, then sent a 95-yard sand wedge spinning back into the hole for an eagle on No. 12. Her nerves bit back when she missed 3-foot putts on the 16th and 17th.

Joan Pitcock (68) and Australia’s Wendy Doolan (70) were two back at 210, and Kim Saiki (68) and Penny Hammel (70) followed at 211.

Clarkston’s Robin Walton shot a 75 for a 217 total.

Marsh leads Seniors

Australia’s Graham Marsh shot a 4-under-par 68 to take a two-stroke lead over Hale Irwin and Bob Murphy after the second round of the Nationwide Championship in Alpharetta, Ga.

Marsh, 53, hasn’t won since the Franklin Quest last Sept. 1. He completed the second round at 9-under 135 on the Golf Club of Georgia’s Lakeside Course.

Murphy, in the final group with Marsh and Bob Charles, finished in near darkness in the round delayed twice by lighting and thunderstorms for a total of 2 hours, 12 minutes. Murphy shot a 1-over 73 to join Irwin at 137.

Irwin, who needs less than $39,000 to go over the $1 million mark for the season, had a 69 in his bid for a fifth victory in only 11 1997 events.

Charles was another stroke back at 138.