GOLF ROUNDUP : Olazabal Keeps His Distance

Jose Maria Olazabal continued his record-breaking play at the Firestone Country Club Saturday, shooting a three-under-par 67 for an eight-stroke lead after three rounds of the $1.1-million World Series of Golf at Akron,Ohio.

Olazabal’s bogey-free round gave him a 54-hole total of 195 and a commanding advantage going into today’s final round.

Only Hale Irwin could keep the Spaniard in sight.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been in second place, four in front of the next man and eight behind the leader,” Irwin said.

But that was Irwin’s situation after Olazabal, 24, who is seeking his first victory in the United States, went to 15-under-par.

Olazabal’s total is six strokes better than the previous 54-hole record for the course and the tournament.

Irwin, with a no-bogey 66, was in second place at 203.

Fred Couples was third at 207 after a 68. Lanny Wadkins and Donnie Hammond each matched par 70 and were tied at 208. Chip Beck, at 69-209, was the only other player under par for 54 holes.

“If he shoots (par) 70 tomorrow, I have to shoot 62 to catch him,” Irwin said.

Peter Persons, spurred by an eagle-three on the eighth hole, shot a five-under-par 65 to maintain a three-stroke lead over Richard Zokol in a $600,000 tournament at Chattanooga, Tenn.

Persons finished with a 54-hole total of 193, and Zokol was at 196.

Dave Eichelberger, Russ Cochran, Bill Kratzert and Fred Funk were five shots back at 12-under 198.

Persons stole some of the glamour from Kenny Knox, who set a course record with a nine-under-par 61.

Beth Daniel, winner of two of her last three tournaments, shot a three-under par 69 for a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the $375,000 Northgate LPGA tournament at Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Daniel led with a 36-hole total of 135, nine under, on the par-72, 6,149-yard Edinburgh course.

Cindy Rarick was in second place at 137 after shooting 71. Caroline Keggi shot 68 and was in a tie with Nina Foust at 139.

Don Bies, playing on his home course, shot his second consecutive 67 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the $375,000 Northwest Seniors tournament at Kenmore, Wash.

Bies was at 10-under-par 134 for 36 holes on the 6,501-yard Inglewood Country Club course.

He led George Archer by a stroke, with Chi Chi Rodriguez three shots back.

Archer shared the lead briefly with an eagle on the final hole for a six-under-par 66. Then Bies birdied his final hole with a 10-foot putt.

Rodriguez’s 70 gave him a 138 total. Tied at 139 were Larry Laoretti, Don January and Tom Shaw. Laoretti and January both shot 68 and Shaw a 71.