Golf Roundup : After the Rain, Stewart Moves Ahead by Three Strokes

Payne Stewart pulled into a three-stroke lead Saturday before darkness halted play in the rain-delayed, incomplete third round of the $800,000 Heritage golf tournament at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Stewart, who shared the first- and second-round leads with Kenny Perry, moved in front when Perry missed the green and bogeyed the ninth hole. When Stewart made a birdie and Perry had a bogey on the 11th and final hole they completed, the lead went to three shots.

“There’s too far to go to be thinking about winning,” said Stewart, who was 13 under par. “I’m just glad to be leading.”

Stewart and Perry, along with 16 others, marked their positions on the course and will return this morning to complete the third round. The final round is scheduled for this afternoon.

Play was delayed 3 1/2 hours by heavy rains that flooded portions of the course and backed up the final starting time to 5:36 p.m.

Mark McCumber was third, nine under par, through 11 holes, with Bernhard Langer of West Germany at seven under par through 14 holes. Tom Kite and Kenny Knox were five under par through 14 holes.

Tom Byrum had a 68 and was the leader in the clubhouse at four-under-par 209. Chip Beck and David Ogrin, each with a 68, were at 210.

Gary Player of South Africa shot a par 72 and took a one-stroke lead over Gene Littler, Don Bies and Bob Erickson in the third round of the $600,000 Tradition tournament at Scottsdale, Ariz.

Player, 53, seeking his 13th career Senior PGA Tour title and first since winning five times last year, has an eight-under-par total of 208. He is the tour’s No. 2 all-time money-winner with $2.92 million.

Littler started the day tied for the lead with Player but shot a 73.

Bies’ 68 included seven birdies.

Erickson shot a 70.