Rookies top leaderboard; Woods looms
A pair of PGA Tour rookies wound up atop the leaderboard Saturday at the Buick Invitational in San Diego, and both of them realize they will have to conquer their nerves in the final group as they try to win for the first time.
Andrew Buckle and Brandt Snedeker also know it could have been a lot worse.
Imagine that final threesome being filled out by Tiger Woods.
“Somebody told me he’s had 41 more wins than I’ve had starts on this tour,” Snedeker said. “I think he’s got me beat in the experience aspect. I know he’s going to be there down the stretch. It’s just a matter of keeping my wits about me.”
Going after his seventh consecutive PGA Tour victory and third straight title at Torrey Pines, Woods hit into nine bunkers and closed with 11 straight pars for a 69 to get within two shots of the lead. He trailed the two rookies and Kevin Sutherland, whose only victory came five years ago.
There’s a reason Woods is the heavy favorite today.
He has never finished out of the top 10 at the Buick Invitational, a tournament he already has won four times. The last time Woods played a PGA Tour event without taking home the trophy was the Western Open nearly seven months ago.
“I’m getting better each round,” Woods said.
A dozen players were within three shots of the leaders, making the final round difficult to predict on a punishing course such as the South at Torrey Pines, host of the U.S. Open next year.
Charles Howell III had a couple of hiccups on his way to a 73 and joined Woods at 207, along with Las Vegas winner Troy Matteson (69) and Bill Haas, who recovered from a tough start to shoot 72.
Champions Tour
Fred Funk shot an 8-under-par 64 for a three-stroke lead after the second round of the Turtle Bay Championship in Kahuku, Hawaii.
Japan’s Kiyoshi Murota shot a 65 to finish at 12 under. Tom Kite (66) was another stroke behind in the tour’s first full-field event of the year.
Vicente Fernandez had a 64 to join Denis Watson (65), Tom McKnight (69) and David Eger (69) at 8 under. Bob Gilder (65), Mike Reid (67), Tim Simpson (67) and D.A. Weibring (69) were 7 under.