Birthday boy Tewell shares Tradition lead
Doug Tewell’s day started with a serenade of “Happy Birthday” on the first tee at the Reserve Vineyards & Golf Club in Aloha, Ore.
It ended with a share of the lead going into the final round of The Tradition.
Tewell shot a 6-under-par 66 on Saturday – his 56th birthday – for a 13-under 203 after three rounds of the Champions Tour’s final major of the season. Gil Morgan birdied the 18th hole to cap a 70 that gave him a share of the lead.
Tom Jenkins, a playoff winner in the Allianz Championship in June, was a shot behind the leaders with a third-round 69, and Dana Quigley was two shots back after a 66.
Tewell’s grandson called him before his round with a birthday wish that included “Make some birdies today,” Tewell said.
He did, making six under cloudless skies at the course just west of Portland.
Tewell has eight victories since joining the Champions Tour in 1999, including a victory in The Tradition in 2001 when it was played at Desert Mountain in Arizona. But he hasn’t won so far this season, which was marred by surgery on his left elbow.
PGA
Bogey-free and four strokes in front after 36 holes at the Buick Championship in Cromwell, Conn., Justin Rose went over par on No. 37. He kept his poise, though, and was still one stroke in front of Ben Curtis after three rounds.
Rose missed a 14-foot par putt on the opening hole and scrambled all day for an even-par 70 that had him at 12-under 198. It was just enough to hold off Curtis, his playing partner and friend.
Curtis, the 2003 British Open champion, shot a 3-under 67. His only mistake was driving into the water on No. 17, costing him a share of the lead.
“We’ve both worked hard on our games this year and it’s starting to pay off,” Rose said. “It was nice playing with him today.”
Curtis, the first-round co-leader, is winless since that British Open. He began to turn around his game last month when he finished third at the Western Open and then contended early at the PGA Championship with a first-round 67 at Baltusrol for a share of the lead.
LPGA
Despite closing with two bogeys, Paula Creamer moved closer to clinching LPGA rookie of the year honors by shooting a 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead after three rounds at the Wendy’s Championship for Children in Dublin, Ohio.
Creamer, who won the Sybase and Evian tournaments earlier this year, can lock up the rookie title with a win. That would give her an insurmountable lead over Meena Lee in the award points standings.
The 19-year-old was at 16-under 200 after three rounds at Tartan Fields Golf Club, one shot in front of Cristie Kerr and Soo-Yun Kang. Kerr matched Creamer’s 66, while Kang shot a 69.
Tied at 202 were Pat Hurst (67) and Michele Redman (68). Redman is a native of Zanesville, Ohio, about 60 miles from the course. At 203 were Lorena Ochoa (67), Amy Hung (68) and Karrie Webb (70). Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., shot 69 and is in a tie for 11th place at 205.
U.S. Amateur
Dillon Dougherty won the last two holes with a chip-in birdie and a par after hitting the flagstick, beating J.C. Deacon 1-up to advance to the final of the U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.
In the other semifinal, Italy’s Edoardo Molinari built a 5-up lead through 11 holes and went on to defeat Austin Eaton III 2 and 1 to reach today’s 36-hole match play final.
Lopez will name Solheim Cup selections
U.S. captain Nancy Lopez has all but decided who her two selections will be for the Solheim Cup team. Now it’s a matter of making the announcement today.
“As the days have gone on, I’ve become a little bit more sure of which way I’m leaning,” she said during a suspension of play at the Wendy’s Championship for Children. “But I will have to decide that probably tonight.”
The top 10 players on the Solheim points list earn spots on the team, with the captain making two other selections. The U.S. team takes on Europe in the Ryder Cup-style event Sept. 9-11 at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Ind.
Assured of spots are Cristie Kerr, Meg Mallon, Juli Inkster, Rosie Jones, Natalie Gulbis, Christina Kim, Pat Hurst and Paula Creamer. Laura Diaz came into the Wendy’s holding the No. 9 spot with Michele Redman 10th, but both can be bumped out so that the only way they can make the team is to be picked by Lopez.