|
SAVANNAH, Ga. - Jay Haas survived a bogey on the final hole to take a two-shot lead in the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf on Saturday. Haas shot a 4-under 68 at The Club at Savannah Harbor, a 7,087-yard island layout in the middle of the Savannah River. That put him at 10-under 134 and earned him a pairing in Sunday's final round with fan favorite Craig Stadler, who shot a 67. "Craig is just what you see. There's no disguising him," Haas said. "He let's you know how he feels. He's a lot of fun to play with." Jerry Pate (69), winner of the Outback Steakhouse Pro Am in February, was another stroke back at 137 and Bob Murphy (69) was four behind in the Champions Tour event. Hale Irwin (69), Peter Jacobsen (69) and Allen Doyle (68) were five shots back at 139. Haas, seeking his first win of the season after earning Champions Tour rookie of the year honors in 2005, made the turn at even par. Then he got on a roll, making birdies on four of the first five holes of his last nine. Haas got to 11 under with another birdie on the par-3 17th, but gave that one back with a bogey on No. 18 where his 7-iron approach missed the green. "I kind of fell asleep on the second shot," Haas said. "The green is about the size of Texas and I still managed to miss it. Then, I fell in love with the line on my putt (from 8 feet), but forgot about the speed." Stadler, the 1982 Masters champion who was rookie of the year in 2003 on the over-50 circuit, delighted fans all day with some shots others might not attempt. Stadler hit successive drivers and then hit a pitching wedge to inside 4 feet on the 530-yard, par-5 No. 11. The fans roared again after he rolled in a birdie putt from almost 58 feet at No. 16. "I could have shot a really low score on the back. I missed some makable putts," Stadler said. "But I made an absolute bomb on No. 16. That must have been 70 feet, there." Tour officials pegged it at exactly 57-feet, 9 inches. Haas and Stadler, who play on the regular PGA Tour as well as with the seniors, missed the cut at last week's Verizon Heritage tournament at nearby Hilton Head, S.C. That's not a problem in Savannah, since there is no cut in the 54-hole event. "Sunday should be fun," said Stadler, who hasn't won since 2004. "I like Jay. I love playing with him. And, of course, it's been so long since I've been in the hunt." Tom Watson and Andy North won the two-man Raphael Division best-ball team title. They were 11-under 61 on Saturday for a two-day total of 21-under 123, a comfortable six shots better than the team of John Koch and Roger Maltbie. The Legends, which spawned the senior circuit 26 years ago, was played as a team event until 2002, but only money earned in the individual competition is considered official.
|
