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Slip up puts Watson in a tough spot
August 19, 2007
SUNRIVER �“ David Edwards and Mark McNulty are charting unknown territory.
Only a significant slip up has left Tom Watson three strokes behind the third-round co-leaders after Saturday’s play at the 2007 Jeld-Wen Tradition at Crosswater Golf Club.
Entering today’s final round, the leader board is cramped and seven players are within four strokes of the lead as they battle for this year’s winner’s check of $390,000 when play begins at 7:45 a.m. today.
“If you can jostle yourself into a position to win going into the back nine, you have a chance,” McNulty said Saturday after he finished with a 2 under 70 and a share of the three-day lead with Edwards, each at 204, which is 12 under par.
Edwards had a chance to take a two-stroke lead into the finals, but misplayed a tee shot on the 17th hole Saturday, not long after he had a brilliant eagle that he scored using an 8 iron from 144 yards away from the pin. That left him with an even par 72 Saturday.
‘Keep grinding’
“I was pleased with the way I played (Saturday),” Edwards said. “Hopefully I can do it again. I just have to keep grinding away and stay in position (to win) going into the last couple of holes.
“If you can place yourself in the last two or three groups (the leaders), you have a chance to win a tournament.”
McNulty and Edwards will be in the final threesome along with D.A. Weibring, who is two shots behind the co-leaders. Weibring was one of four players with a 68 Saturday, a score matched by Tom Kite, Chip Beck and Gil Morgan.
Another stroke back areWatson and Kite, with R.W. Eaks and Keith Fergus entering today’s play with a 208. Fergus could have been closer, but was meted a two-shot penalty for improper play in a bunker on No. 17.
Watson also has a two-stroke penalty that has slowed him.
Friday, he and Ben Crenshaw hit each other’s ball on the fairway, which resulted in the penalty. Watson had appeared ready to make a birdie, and the bizarre play likely cost the 2003 Tradition champion a share of the third-round lead.
Watson, Tom Kite and Loren Roberts are the former champions who enter today’s final round in the top 10 in the fourth of the five major tournaments on the Champions Tour, which is for players 50 and over.
Both leaders said they cannot worry about Watson and Kite today.
“I would rather today be a little boring,” Edwards said with a grin. He would like a bigger lead.
“But,” he said, “this is what you want. It’s always fun when several guys have a chance to win. We’ll just have to tee up and see what happens.
“In this game, you can beat anybody, and anybody can beat you. You don’t look at where they’re at individually. Who will play well, and who won’t, we don’t know. I have a chance (today).”
The top six all do, but McNulty’s best Tradition finish is a tie for eighth, while Edwards’ best effort is a tie for 14th. Watson and Kite, meanwhile, both had four top 10 finishes in the Tradition.
‘Elementary dear Watson’
“I have more to worry about: Just me and my game and not worry about the elementary dear Watson,” McNulty said. “You just play it one shot at a time and there are 18 questions (holes) left to be answered (today).
“The tournament will be determined on the back nine, but I just have to play myself. It’s all about using (all) 15 clubs (in a player’s bag),” he said.
That will be huge, since the third-round leader has failed to win any of this year’s other major tournaments. On the plus side for the leaders is the fact that of the previous 16 Traditions, the third-round leader has won the championship seven times.
The two Oregonians playing this year are Bob Gilder of Corvallis and Peter Jacobsen of Portland, the latter considered the key player in getting the Champions Tour to bring the Tradition to the state in 2003.
Gilder is at 215 entering today’s play, while Jacobsen struggled Saturday and dropped back and will take a 219 into the final round.
- BY Steve Matthies
SUNRIVER �“ David Edwards and Mark McNulty are charting unknown territory.
Only a significant slip up has left Tom Watson three strokes behind the third-round co-leaders after Saturday’s play at the 2007 Jeld-Wen Tradition at Crosswater Golf Club.
Entering today’s final round, the leader board is cramped and seven players are within four strokes of the lead as they battle for this year’s winner’s check of $390,000 when play begins at 7:45 a.m. today.
“If you can jostle yourself into a position to win going into the back nine, you have a chance,” McNulty said Saturday after he finished with a 2 under 70 and a share of the three-day lead with Edwards, each at 204, which is 12 under par.
Edwards had a chance to take a two-stroke lead into the finals, but misplayed a tee shot on the 17th hole Saturday, not long after he had a brilliant eagle that he scored using an 8 iron from 144 yards away from the pin. That left him with an even par 72 Saturday.
‘Keep grinding’
“I was pleased with the way I played (Saturday),” Edwards said. “Hopefully I can do it again. I just have to keep grinding away and stay in position (to win) going into the last couple of holes.
“If you can place yourself in the last two or three groups (the leaders), you have a chance to win a tournament.”
McNulty and Edwards will be in the final threesome along with D.A. Weibring, who is two shots behind the co-leaders. Weibring was one of four players with a 68 Saturday, a score matched by Tom Kite, Chip Beck and Gil Morgan.
Another stroke back areWatson and Kite, with R.W. Eaks and Keith Fergus entering today’s play with a 208. Fergus could have been closer, but was meted a two-shot penalty for improper play in a bunker on No. 17.
Watson also has a two-stroke penalty that has slowed him.
Friday, he and Ben Crenshaw hit each other’s ball on the fairway, which resulted in the penalty. Watson had appeared ready to make a birdie, and the bizarre play likely cost the 2003 Tradition champion a share of the third-round lead.
Watson, Tom Kite and Loren Roberts are the former champions who enter today’s final round in the top 10 in the fourth of the five major tournaments on the Champions Tour, which is for players 50 and over.
Both leaders said they cannot worry about Watson and Kite today.
“I would rather today be a little boring,” Edwards said with a grin. He would like a bigger lead.
“But,” he said, “this is what you want. It’s always fun when several guys have a chance to win. We’ll just have to tee up and see what happens.
“In this game, you can beat anybody, and anybody can beat you. You don’t look at where they’re at individually. Who will play well, and who won’t, we don’t know. I have a chance (today).”
The top six all do, but McNulty’s best Tradition finish is a tie for eighth, while Edwards’ best effort is a tie for 14th. Watson and Kite, meanwhile, both had four top 10 finishes in the Tradition.
‘Elementary dear Watson’
“I have more to worry about: Just me and my game and not worry about the elementary dear Watson,” McNulty said. “You just play it one shot at a time and there are 18 questions (holes) left to be answered (today).
“The tournament will be determined on the back nine, but I just have to play myself. It’s all about using (all) 15 clubs (in a player’s bag),” he said.
That will be huge, since the third-round leader has failed to win any of this year’s other major tournaments. On the plus side for the leaders is the fact that of the previous 16 Traditions, the third-round leader has won the championship seven times.
The two Oregonians playing this year are Bob Gilder of Corvallis and Peter Jacobsen of Portland, the latter considered the key player in getting the Champions Tour to bring the Tradition to the state in 2003.
Gilder is at 215 entering today’s play, while Jacobsen struggled Saturday and dropped back and will take a 219 into the final round.
- BY Steve Matthies
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