Golf Roundup : Mudd Leading by Stroke in Bid for First Tour Victory

Jodie Mudd strung together three straight birdies on the back nine Saturday to overtake Tim Simpson and move into a one-stroke lead in the third round of the $953,842 St. Jude golf tournament at Memphis, Tenn.

Mudd, a six-time runner-up who is still seeking his first PGA Tour win, chopped two strokes off par on the front nine, pulled even with Simpson with birdies at the par-4 14th and par-3 15th, then grabbed the lead with a birdie on the par-5 16th.

His 5-under-par 67 broke a string of two straight 68s; his 54-hole total was a 13-under-par 203.

Mudd and Simpson, who shot his third straight 68 for a 204, began the third round in a three-way tie for the lead with Peter Jacobsen, who shot a 72 and was at 208.

The tournament purse, guaranteed at $750,000, jumped $203,842 Saturday when corporate sponsor Federal Express added $1 for each package over 750,000 it handled Friday. That increased the first prize from $135,000 to $171,692.

Bob Charles shot a 1-under-par 70, and defending champion Gary Player had a 71 to share the third-round lead in the U.S. Senior Open in suburban Chicago.

Charles, of New Zealand, and Player, of South Africa, sidestepped the problems that befell second-round leader Billy Casper and their other pursuers. Both were at 1-under-par 215 after 54 holes on Medinah Country Club’s No. 3 course.

Casper, the only player to break par on each of the first two days, started the round with a bogey and a double-bogey, then came in with a 76 for a 216 total, tying Lou Graham.

Walt Zembriski was leading the tournament at 2 under par after 16 holes. But on No. 17, a 151-yard, par-3 hole over a lake, he dumped his tee shot into the water, repeated the feat after a drop and wound up with a 7. He finished with a 74 for a 218.

Pat Bradley had five birdies on her way to a 15-point performance and a three-way share of the lead in the third round of the $400,000 LPGA tournament at High Point, N.C., that bears her name.

Bradley was tied with Dot Germain and Jody Rosenthal after Saturday’s play in the event, which uses a modified Stableford scoring system. All three won $5,000.

The 18 players who advanced to today’s final round will begin the day on even terms. The total purse for today is $250,000, with $62,500 going to the winner.

Under the Stableford format, birdies are worth three points, eagles five and double-eagles eight. Pars get no points. Players lose one point for a bogey and three for a double-bogey or higher.