Faldo leads, Tiger's game just not on
By KEN PETERS
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Three-time Masters and British Open champion
Nick Faldo, playing like he's near the top of his game again,
shot a 3-under-par 68 Saturday to take the Nissan Open lead.
Faldo was at 9-under through three rounds at Riviera Country
Club, and one shot behind him were defending champion Craig Stadler
and Scott McCarron.
Stadler shot 68 and McCarron bolted into contention with a
64 that included consecutive chip-ins for eagles on the 10th and
11th holes. His 7-under round was the best of the tournament.
Abilene's Bob Estes and Mike Standly each faded slightly in
the third round. Estes fired a 72 and stands at 3-under, six shots
behind Faldo. Standly balloned to one-over after carding a 76.
Tiger Woods dropped back into the pack with a 1-over-par 72
that left him eight shots behind Faldo.
Woods, whose mind has been more on his hospitalized father
than on the tournament, began the day five shots behind Pooley
and four behind Faldo, but could never get his game going.
He bogeyed the second and fourth holes to go to even-par for
the tournament, then had one more bogey, one birdie and the rest
pars on the way to his 1-over-par round.
Woods' father, Earl, is in nearby UCLA Medical Center recuperating
from heart bypass surgery on Feb. 19.
Remaining within striking distance of the lead were Fred Couples,
a two-time winner of the tournament, and Mark O'Meara, both in
a group at 5-under, and Payne Stewart, at 4-under.
Faldo, whose play last year dropped off after he won the Masters,
began his day at Riviera with birdies on the first three holes
to go to 9-under. He trimmed another shot off par on No. 7, but
that was his last birdie of the day, and he bogeyed No. 14.
Faldo has finished down the list in his two other Tour appearances
this year, tying for 22nd at La Costa and tying for 38th at Pebble
Beach.
Stadler, had an up-and-down front nine, with two birdies, a
bogey and a double bogey on the front nine. But, putting well,
he came back strong after the turn, with four birdies.
McCarron, who came on the Tour in 1995 and won for the first
time last year, chipped in from 45 feet on the 311-yard, par-4
10th hole, then chipped in from 25 feet, on the 561-yard, par-5
11th.
Tom Purtzer, with a 69, and Scott Hoch, with his second consecutive
71, were tied for fourth, three shots behind Faldo.
Second-round leader Don Pooley, looking for his first win in
10 years, ballooned to a 75 to fall far behind.
Couples had a 70, O'Meara a 72 and Stewart a 68.
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