Norman Leads a Crowded Field Down the Stretch

For the second day in a row, Greg Norman let a five-stroke lead slip away from him Saturday at Shinnecock Hills, so instead of having a potential runaway winner in the 86th U.S. Open, there is the strong possibility of a playoff today.

There are 20 players, 10 of whom have won major championships, within six shots of Norman going into the final round at this historic British-style course, which last hosted an Open in 1896.

The front-running Australian, who is even par for 54 holes after shooting a 71, holds a one-stroke edge over Lee Trevino and Hal Sutton, who blazed into contention with a 66 that equaled a day-old course record.

After nine holes, Norman was five shots in front, but one errant tee shot opened the floodgates for the competition to close in.

“I hit one bad drive, on No. 13, and I paid for it,” he said. “I got what I deserved.” What he got was a double-bogey 6 on the 367-yard hole, the shortest par-4 on the card.

Trevino, who was paired with Norman, made a birdie on the same hole for a three-stroke swing that deadlocked the two leaders at even par.

The gallery at Shinnecock Hills has been limited to 17,000 by the U.S. Golf Assn. because of the inaccessibility of the course, which is on the eastern tip of Long Island, but it seemed nearly the entire crowd was following the Norman-Trevino shootout.

Some seemed more concerned with taunting Norman than with watching play.

“I’ve never seen crowd abuse this bad anywhere else in the world,” Norman said. “There were 16,500 having a hell of a good time, with 50 jackasses ruining it for everyone else.”

The collapse of Norman, who also bogeyed the 10th hole for the second day in a row, gave new life to the field.

Sutton made four birdies on the incoming nine for a 31-66, and only a short putt that curled around the hole on the 18th green kept the former PGA champion from catching Norman.

“There was no way that ball could have stayed out,” Sutton said of his missed putt. “I hit it perfect. I couldn’t believe it.”

Trevino bogeyed No. 18 for a 69 to slip back to one-over-par 211 with Sutton.

Bob Tway, the first-round leader who battled through Thursday’s blustery conditions for a par 70, only to stumble to 73 in ideal weather Friday, came back with a 69 to hold fourth place with 212.

Mike Reid’s 66 put him at 213 with Mark McCumber (68), Payne Stewart (69), Raymond Floyd (70) and Denis Watson (71). If Reid wins today, it will be his first victory in 10 years as a touring pro, even though he has earned more than $1 million.

Scott Verplank, the national collegiate champion from Oklahoma State who is making his professional debut this week, shot a 67 to head a group at 214. Lennie Clements of San Diego, another non-winner on the tour, also had a 67 to become part of the 214 group along with three former Masters champions--Ben Crenshaw, Bernhard Langer and Tom Watson.

Crenshaw had the day’s most spectacular shot, a 6-iron that carried 189 yards into the hole for an eagle 2 on the 444-yard 14th hole. Crenshaw, looking for his first win since the 1984 Masters, gave the two strokes back on the next hole with a double-bogey 6.

Clements had a 30 on the front nine.

Mark McNulty, the least known of the three South Africans in the field--Denis Watson and David Frost are the other two--is alone at 215 after shooting a 68.

Still only six shots in arrears--not an insurmountable figure on a course as treacherous as Shinnecock Hills--is Jack Nicklaus, who came back with a 67 after starting out 77-72 in search of his fifth U.S. Open title.

“If I can improve another five shots tomorrow, the way I’ve done every day, I’ll be just fine,” Nicklaus said, reminding all of his recent comeback to win his sixth Masters championship.

“There’s a difference between trying to shoot a low score to catch someone and shooting it at Augusta. Here, one bad drive can get you in serious trouble. At Augusta National, you can hit it just about anywhere and not be penalized.”

With Nicklaus at 216 are Severiano Ballesteros and Chip Beck, who both had 68s; former Open champion David Graham, 69; and the Wadkins brothers, Lanny and Bobby, who had matching 72s.

Norman’s problems on No. 13 started with a tee shot that landed in knee-deep wheat grass. Taking a mighty swipe at the ball with a 9-iron, hoping to at least get it back toward the fairway, Norman caught the ball flush and sent it soaring over the green and down a steep incline.

His third shot, a chip back up to the green, rolled across the putting surface to the fringe on the opposite side, and his next chip back slid about four feet past the hole. His first putt nearly salvaged a bogey, but the ball caught the lip of the cup and spun off its mark.

“If I had to do it over, I’d go back and hit exactly the same approach shot,” Norman said. “My first objective was to get it out, and I caught it flush.

“I’m just happy to still be leading. Lee (Trevino) played extremely well, better than I’ve seen him play in a long time, and with Sutton shooting a 66, well, a lot of things can happen tomorrow.

“I promise you one thing, though: I’ll par 10 and 13 tomorrow. Those are the only two holes on the back where I’ve had a problem.”

Trevino said he felt if he could shoot 67 today he would win.

“Norman said he thought he could win with a 68,” Trevino said. “I’ll be thinking 67, but this is the U.S. Open and it might not take that. You never know, if the wind picks up early like it did late today, two or three over (par) might be good enough.”

Trevino said he will have an added incentive in today’s final round.

“My wife said she’d give me a son if I won tomorrow, and that’s something I really want,” Trevino said with a hearty grin.

A win by Trevino would make him the oldest U.S. Open champion. The oldest was Ted Ray, who was 43. Trevino will be 47 on Dec. 1.

Sutton said he is right where he’d like to be going into the final 18 holes.

“Greg’s in a tough position,” Sutton said. “He’s in front and he knows everyone will be shooting at him. I don’t care who you are, you’re not going to sleep well if you’re leading the tournament.”

Sutton’s straight drives and accurate irons didn’t put much pressure on his putter. Four of his five birdies were from short distances: 8, 3, 8 and 12 feet. He chipped in for the other on No. 10.

Sam Randolph, the only remaining amateur, tuned up for his pro debut next week with a 68.

“I’m trying to think of myself as a pro this week,” the former USC All-American said. “I have to make at least $26,000 in my first five tournaments as a pro to get an exemption for the rest of the year.

“My goal this week is to finish in the top 10 and give my confidence a boost.

Randolph, the youngest player in the Open at 21, started off with four birdies in the first five holes to move onto the leader board.

“I looked up at one of the scoreboards and saw my name between Jack Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros,” he said. “That got me pumped up.”

THE LEADERS AFTER 54 HOLES Greg Norman 71-68-71--210 Lee Trevino 74-68-69--211 Hal Sutton 75-70-66--211 Bob Tway 70-73-69--212 Raymond Floyd 75-68-70--213 Denis Watson 72-70-71--213 Payne Stewart 76-68-69--213 Mike Reid 74-73-66--213 Mark McCumber 74-71-68--213