HARRISON, N.Y. – Fred Couples shot a 3-under-par 68 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Senior Players Championship, the Champions Tour’s final major of the season.
Couples is at 11-under 202 for the tournament and is trying for his first Champions Tour title since a seven-stroke victory last October at the Adminstaff Small Business Classic in Texas. Since his fourth victory on the seniors tour, Couples has struggled with his back, but the injury has healed following a non-traditional procedure in Germany six weeks ago.
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“It was a good day,” Couples said. “I drove the ball well. The best thing I did is I felt I hit the ball solid.
“It was a good round, not great, but I’m still in the lead and I’ll have to have a better round (today).”
Peter Senior remained second at 10 under after a third-round 68 and was tied with John Cook, who moved up from fourth with a 66. Corey Pavin was fourth at 8 under after shooting a 69.
Tom Lehman shot a 67, finishing in a four-way tie for fifth at 207 with Tommy Armour III (67), Mark Calcavecchia (67), defending champion Mark O’Meara (69) and Jeff Sluman (69).
Couples, Senior and Pavin were the last trio teeing off at the Westchester Country Club’s tree-lined West Course. Couples began with pars on the first four holes, then took the lead with a birdie on No. 5 and followed that up with a long birdie putt on the seventh hole.
Couples maintained his two-stroke lead with pars on the final nine holes as his nearest competition failed to gain ground.
Cook had the best opportunity when Couples failed to reach the fairway for the first time on No. 15 and missed a birdie putt. Cook’s birdie putt on No. 16 nearly went in, grazing the top of the hole before rolling out. He finished with par on the final two holes.
Cook moved up with five birdies during a bogey-free round, while Senior remained steady with four birdies, including on the final two holes.
Cook is in good position for his fourth Champions Tour victory of the year and ninth overall, while Senior has an opportunity to be the first Australian to win a major on the Champions Tour since Stewart Ginn in 2002.
Pavin turned in his 13th straight round under par after bogeying three times on the front nine.
He came on strong with four birdies and was three strokes back with a birdie on No. 16, but could not get any closer.
PGA: Webb Simpson shot a 6-under 64 to move to 15-under 195 and take a two-stroke lead after three rounds in the Wyndham Championship at Greensboro, N.C.
Simpson had four birdies and an eagle during his late charge at the final event before the PGA Tour’s playoffs start next week.
Tommy Gainey (69), who led or shared the lead after each of the first two rounds, was 13 under.
Carl Pettersson (63) and John Mallinger (65) were 12 under. Daniel Summerhays (68) was 11 under, and Billy Horschel (66), Charles Howell III (66), Jason Bohn (67), Retief Goosen (68) and Ernie Els (69) were another stroke back.
Play was halted for 1 hour, 4 minutes late in the day because of severe weather. After it resumed, Simpson made his move.
He started the day three strokes behind Gainey and had two early bogeys before leapfrogging his playing partner with a barrage of low scores.
Simpson birdied No. 13 and sank a 32-foot birdie putt on No. 14. He stuck his second shot on the par-5 15th within 5 feet and converted that putt for his third eagle of the week.
He had consecutive birdies on Nos. 16 and 17, then nearly closed his round with another, but left his 18-foot birdie putt 2 inches short.
“Probably one of my top birdie-eagle streaks that I’ve had, and it came at a better time than any other streak I’ve had, just because we’re not getting anything going all day and everybody else is taking it low,” Simpson said.
EUROPEAN TOUR: Steven O’Hara of Scotland shot a 7-under 65 to join Oliver Fisher of England (68) atop the leaderboard after the third round of the Czech Open at Celadna, Czech Republic.
O’Hara and Fisher were at 10-under 206. Gaganjeet Bhullar of India shot a 64 for a share of third place with Gary Boyd (70) of England and Mikael Lundberg (68) of Sweden, who are two shots back.
American Anthony Kang shot a 69 and was six strokes behind the leaders.
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