GOLF ROUNDUP : Tiring Irwin Shoots 68, Ties for Lead

Hale Irwin isn’t sneaking up on anybody this week, but his toughest opponent may be himself.

Irwin, trying to back up his U.S. Open victory by winning the Westchester Open, struggled down the stretch but shot a three-under par 68 Saturday to tie Blaine McCallister for the third-round lead.

“I had a bit of trouble finishing,” said Irwin, who bogeyed the 15th and 16th holes after a long delay on the 15th fairway. “Today was a battle. I was fighting fatigue.

“I just lost my concentration for a while. I wasn’t hitting very good shots. If I am to win, I have to pick it up again and not make the mistakes I made (Saturday). My concentration is going in and out.

“The adrenaline surge is gone. I need to cycle in a new one.”

Irwin, who won his third U.S. Open title in a 19-hole playoff with Mike Donald on Monday, closed with birdies on 17 and 18 to put himself in position to win for the second time in six days.

McCallister dropped a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole to finish off a round of 70 and match Irwin’s 10-under-par total of 203.

Three strokes behind the co-leaders were Paul Azinger (69), Ken Green (69), Jay Haas (72), Craig Stadler (68), David Peoples (71) and rookie Kirk Triplett (67), tied for third at 206.

Loren Roberts, who had a 69, and Jim Gallagher, who shot 70, were at 207.

Ray Floyd had a 65, best round of the day, and was within reach of the lead at 208.

Amy Alcott recovered from a double bogey on the 14th hole and maintained a two-shot lead after three rounds of an LPGA tournament at Rochester, N.Y.

Alcott, who broke a course record by standing at 10 under par after 36 holes, established another one by completing 54 holes at 14-under-par 202 with a 68.

Defending champion Patty Sheehan and Kathy Postlewait also had 68s to tie for second, two shots behind.

After Alcott’s double bogey on 14, Sheehan and Postlewait each birdied No. 15 to tie for the lead. However, Alcott regained control with birdies on 16 and 17 to rebuild her two-shot lead.

Nancy Lopez (70) and Alice Ritzman (67) were at 208.

Mike Hill shot a four-under-par 68 and tied three-time winner Chi Chi Rodriguez for the second-round lead at the Digital Seniors tournament at Concord, Mass.

Hill started three strokes behind Rodriguez but caught up at 135. Rodriguez, who won this event from 1986 to 1988, followed his course-record 64 with a 71.

Rodriguez was involved in a dispute with Harold Henning on the seventh green about repairing marks where the previous day’s cup was placed. Rodriguez three-putted the hole for his only bogey.

Defending champion Bob Charles had a 67 to tie Henning, who shot a 70, at 136. Lee Trevino matched par for a 139.