If Fred Couples holds on to his lead and wins the Senior Players Championship today, the official Champions Tour records will say he has won a major. Couples will say that it was a huge relief.
It is inevitable to question just how major a Champions Tour major is. The crowds at Westchester Country Club have been warm but modest, the buzz has been more of a hum. But for Couples, who heads into the final round at 11-under par, one ahead of John Cook and Peter Senior, the question is irrelevant. The biggest tournament you can win is the one you’re playing this week, especially if you’re in his (back-friendly, rubber-soled) shoes.
“I’ve done nothing the whole year,” Couples said Saturday after he made three birdies on the front nine and nine pars on the back for 3-under 68. “Tomorrow is a big day, just to get back in and see if I can win a tournament.”
In Couples’ case, the season has not been so much a drought as it has been a hiatus from contention, caused by a bad back. The Seattle native’s back is much better, thanks to a revolutionary treatment in Germany. Still, the blood-work procedure could not give him an infusion of confidence. He won’t know until the end of the round today in Harrison, N.Y., whether he has what it takes to finish a tournament.
“Winning is winning,” said Couples, the 1992 Masters champion who has yet to win a senior major in his two seasons of eligibility. “It’s hard to win Augusta, hard to win the U.S. Open, hard to win the British Open. Any golf tournament is hard to win.”
SIMPSON CHARGES
Webb Simpson shot a 6-under 64 to move to 15-under 195 and take a two-stroke lead after three rounds at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C.
The Raleigh, N.C., native and former Wake Forest player had four birdies and an eagle in his late charge at the final event before the PGA Tour 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.
CHOI LEADS SAFEWAY
South Korean star Na Yeon Choi took a three-stroke lead into the final round of the Safeway Classic in North Plains, Ore., near Portland, after shooting a 2-under 69 to reach 8 under on Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club’s Ghost Creek course.
A four-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Choi had three birdies and a bogey after her opening 65.
American Stacy Lewis was second after a 68.
UCLA-bound teenager Erynne Lee, an amateur from Silverdale, missed the cut after rounds of 78 and 83.
SCOT CO-LEADER
Steven O’Hara of Scotland shot a flawless 7-under 65 to share the lead after the third round of the Czech Open in Celadna, Czech Republic.
O’Hara made seven birdies to join Oliver Fisher of England (68) at 10-under 206. Two shots further back are Gaganjeet Bhullar of India, who shot a 64, Gary Boyd (70) of England and Mikael Lundberg (68) of Sweden.
TRACKING LOCALS ON THE PGA TOUR
This week: PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship, through today, Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, N.C.
In the field: Gig Harbor’s Kyle Stanley and Olympia’s Andres Gonzales.
Gonzales’ third-round score: 1-under-par 69.
Gonzales (4-under 206) is tied for 62nd – 11 strokes behind leader Webb Simpson (64). Stanley (even-par 140) missed the cut by three shots Friday.
Recap: Late birdies at the 16th (8-iron tee shot to 7 feet) and 17th holes (sand wedge approach to 12 feet) gave Gonzales back-to-back 69s. The last time he recorded two or more consecutive under-par rounds was at the Viking Classic last month (70-70-70-71 for 7-under 281 total).
Gonzales’ tee time today: 6:28 a.m. (PDT), with Willima McGirt.
Todd Milles, staff writer
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