GOLF ROUNDUP : Frost Goes Back to the Old Stuff for 66 and Lead

David Frost went back to his old clubs and got back his old form.

Frost needed only 24 putts Saturday to shoot a six-under-par 66 and take the third-round lead in the USF&G; tournament at New Orleans.

After finishing ninth in earnings in 1988 and 11th last year, he changed clubs. He struggled through the early part of this year and entered this tournament No. 68 on the money list.

That was the end of the line for the new clubs.

“I went back to my old clubs three weeks ago,” he said. “At Bay Hill, I got off the course and gave the clubs away. That poor guy is probably hooking it, now.”

Frost began play in a four-way tie, three shots behind second-round leader Gary Koch. He started fast, with a birdie on the first hole and an eagle on the second, then birdied 11, 13 and 14 on the back nine to finish 54 holes at nine-under 207, one stroke in front of Brian Tennyson, who shot a 69.

Mark O’Meara and Corey Pavin were next at 209. Curt Byrum and Steve Elkington, bidding to become the season’s first back-to-back winner, were tied at 211.

Early starter Frank Beard beat the winds and shot a five-under-par 67 to tie the Reunion Pro-Am tournament’s 36-hole record and take a commanding lead after two rounds at Frisco, Tex.

Beard, playing before blustery winds of up to 24 m.p.h. began sending scores soaring, matched Bruce Crampton’s 1977 record by playing the first two rounds in 11-under-par 133.

Dale Douglass, who teamed with Charles Coody to win the Legends of Golf last week, shot a 70 and was a distant second. Senior Tour rookie Bob Wynn, a qualifier, and Larry Laoretti were next at 140.