U.S. Senior Open : Moody Shares Lead After Open-Record 64

Shortly before he shot the best round in the 10-year history of the U.S. Senior Open, Orville Moody learned that his putter with the 50-inch shaft might be outlawed.

The putter never performed better for Moody than it did Saturday at Laurel Valley Golf Course. He shot a Senior Open record of eight-under-par 64 that gave him a tie with Frank Beard for the lead after three rounds.

Beard, the leader after 36 holes, and Moody were at 209, seven under par. With Al Geiberger and Don Bies fading on the back nine Saturday, the two held a four-stroke lead over Bruce Crampton, who shot a 69 for a 213 total.

Jim Dent, Harold Henning, Bobby Nichols and Butch Baird were at 214. The only others under par were Charles Coody and Dave Hill at 215.

Geiberger, after an eagle on the third hole, was seven-under through eight. He led Bies by two shots and seemed on the verge of a runaway. But he lost seven shots to par on the next 10 holes. Bies lost six shots on the same holes.

They fell apart about the time Moody started his surge. A 12-foot putt for an eagle on the 18th put him five under for the last five holes and let him break the Open record of 65 held by Doug Sanders and Miller Barber.

“I heard the USGA was talking about eliminating the putter, but I can’t worry about it now,” Moody said. “I’m still in a trance. I can’t even remember what happened out there. All I know is that it’s the best round under the conditions I’ve ever shot.

“It happens once in a great while that you feel as though you can do anything. I’ve seen Michael Jordan of the (Chicago) Bulls when he couldn’t miss. That five-wood I sliced around the trees on the last hole was just a perfect shot.”

Moody also shot a 64, three weeks ago when he won the Senior TPC at Ponte Vedra , Fla.

The United States Golf Assn., the governing body for the sport, discussed the long-handled putter used by many on the Senior PGA Tour at its recent meeting. Purists say it takes away from the dignity of the sport.

In a similar situation several years ago, the USGA banned Sam Snead’s croquet-style putting stance. It ruled that the golfer may not straddle the ball while putting. There is no indication an immediate ruling on the long-handled putter is likely soon.

According to Beard and some others, since Moody switched to the pendulum style with the 50-inch shaft, he has become the best golfer on the seniors tour.

“The Sarge is far and away the best player on our tour,” Beard said. “If anyone else had shot that kind of a round I would have been shocked. But I expected him to make a move today. I think if he had had that putter 20 years ago, he would have torn up the regular tour, too.”

Moody, whose caddy is his teen-age daughter, Michelle, said that he and Michelle were having trouble reading the greens during the first two rounds. “Everything fell in place today.”

His best round ever? It was a 57 on a par-72 course at Bowie, Tex. in 1979.

“It was one of those chiseling gambling games,” he said. “I think I had three eagles that round. The guys I beat thought it was a fluke, so I went back out and shot a 30 on the front nine. I won the money.”

This continues to be the weekend of a lifetime for Frank Boydston. Although he faded with a 78--223, he was a witness to golf history. The Phoenix restaurateur who led the tournament for three hours after shooting a 69 during the first round, seemed more excited than his playing partner, Moody.

“I’ve never seen anything like that finish,” he said. “Imagine, five under for the last five holes. I know it’s true. I was there. Maybe I should try his putter. I’m about to the point where I need it.”

Said Beard of his battle with Moody: “We’ll both be nervous tomorrow. But Orville’s nervousness will lead toward confidence, because he’s been there often. It has been so long since I have won, mine will lean toward the tentative.”

Senior Golf Notes

Arnold Palmer, the host pro, continued to play poorly. A triple bogey on No. 10 contributed to an 82 and a 235 total. Only six players have a higher score. Palmer played on seven consecutive days before the tournament. Said Al Geiberger: “He tried to make sure the fans would come early in the week, and wore himself out.”

Some of the notables who missed the cut of 156 were the oldest--Harold (Jug) McSpaden, who is 81 and shot a 170; Jerry Barber, 73, at 160; course designer Pete Dye (173), Doug Sanders (162), and Joe Simpson, father of tour golfer Scott Simpson (160).