EDMOND, Okla. -- Local favorite Gil Morgan only managed an even-par 71 on Saturday, but it was good enough for the third-round lead at the Senior PGA Championship. He stands at 6-under-par 207 and is one ahead at a very difficult Oak Tree Golf Club.
The wind picked up on Saturday with some gusts reaching 30 miles per hour. The change in conditions reflected in the scores as only two players - Dick Mast and Mike McCullough - of the 76 who teed it up on Saturday broke 70.
Peter Jacobsen struggled to a 75 Saturday, but is still only three back.
‘It sucked,’ said Craig Stadler, who struggled to a 13-over-par 84 on Saturday. ‘The conditions weren’t quite as bad as my golf, but almost.’
Brad Bryant birdied his final hole Saturday to polish off a 1-over 72. The two-time winner this year on the Champions Tour is now within one at 5-under-par 208.
Overnight leader Peter Jacobsen struggled mightily in round three. He mixed six bogeys, including two in the last four holes, and two birdies for a 4-over 75. He is tied with three-time winner this season Loren Roberts, who shot an even-par 70. The pair is knotted at minus-3.
Morgan, who lives about one mile from the course, wrestled the lead away from Jacobsen early in the third round, but Bryant answered him at the seventh. Morgan caught a flier lie out of the rough and made bogey from behind the green. Bryant rolled in a 5-footer for birdie to move one ahead at 7 under par.
Two holes later, the lead changed again as Morgan drained a 15-foot birdie putt. Bryant tried to pull off a challenging shot and failed, making bogey and falling one back.
The 11th hole bit both players. Morgan missed the green right, then missed his 25-foot par putt. Bryant’s drive landed directly behind a tree and he was forced to chip back into the fairway. He knocked his third to 30 feet and three-putted for a double-bogey.
Bryant bogeyed 14, but reclaimed the lost stroke with a birdie at 15. Morgan converted a clutch 7-footer for par at the 15th, then sank a 4-foot birdie putt at the 16th to move to 7 under par, three clear of Bryant.
At the 17th, Morgan missed a 6-footer for par. With his lead down to two, Morgan hit a solid approach to 12 feet at the closing hole. He failed to turn into a birdie, but Bryant drained a 10-foot birdie putt of his own to close the gap to one.
If Morgan is to win on Sunday, it will be his 24th on the Champions Tour, but his first since the 2004 SBC Classic. He owns three major titles, but not the Senior PGA Championship.
Jay Haas, who has won his last two starts on the elder circuit, managed a 2-over 73 and is tied for fifth place with reigning Champions Tour Player of the Year Dana Quigley, who posted a 1-over 72. The duo is tied at 2-under-par 211.
Mast and D.A. Weibring (70) share seventh place at minus-1. Tom Watson, the 2001 winner, carded a 3-over 74 and is alone in ninth place at even-par 213, which is one shot better than David Edwards, who also shot a 74 on Saturday.
Related Links: