Kite Gets Short Game Back and Takes the Lead

It’s a new year, and Tom Kite has an optimistic outlook--for good reason, too.

The 41-year-old veteran charged into the lead Saturday in the third round of the Infiniti Tournament of Champions at La Costa.

Kite, who started the day three strokes behind Lanny Wadkins, shot a four-under-par 68 to take a two-shot lead over Wadkins and Fred Couples.

“There’s no reason that I shouldn’t have a good year unless I get in my own way,” said Kite, who has a 54-hole total of 203, 13 under par.

Kite, golf’s all-time leading money winner, slumped to 15th on the money list last year while winning only one tournament.

He said that he played better than ever from tee to green, but his short game deserted him.

“Now the short game is back,” Kite said. “I directed so much attention to the full game last year that I neglected the most important part of the game.”

Kite said that he won’t be unhappy if he shoots a 95 today in the final round because his all-around game has returned.

“I’m really excited about this year, no matter what happens (today),” he said.

Kite said he has won tournaments as a front-runner and coming from behind.

“There hasn’t been a pattern,” he said. “And pressure isn’t a bad thing. That’s why we practice, to put ourselves under pressure to see how we handle it.”

Wadkins, 41, faltered to a one-over-par 73 after shooting 65 and 67 the first two days.

“I just wasn’t making the putts I had been making,” he said. “The story of the day was that I was rolling the ball solid, but nothing went in.”

Couples, known as “Boom-Boom” on the tour for his prodigious drives, made the most dramatic move on the leader board. He started the day six shots behind Wadkins but is contending for the lead after shooting a five-under-par 67.

His round began inauspiciously with a bogey at the first hole. Then he said he got an unbelievable birdie on the par five, 526-yard second hole.

“I hit a wedge over a tree and part of a bunker and the ball rolled down to within two feet of the hole,” Couples said.

Couples, the Los Angeles Open champion, said he has birdied all of the par-five holes in the tournament except one.

Kite said it’s a “four-horse race” for the title, including Chip Beck, who is at 207 after shooting a 70.

“There’s a big gap after Chip,” Kite added.

Bob Tway, Wayne Levi and John Huston have outside chances, all at 210.

Kite was paired with Wadkins as they have been so often in the past. The big swing occurred on the par four, 398-yard eighth hole.

Kite hit a nine-iron to within six feet of the cup and got a birdie. Wadkins three-putted from 30 feet for a bogey.

After two days of intermittent rain, the players played in sunshine early in the round before it became cloudy and windy.

Kite led Wadkins and Couples by one shot as he came to the par-five, 569-yard 17th hole.

He hit an eight-iron to within 15 feet of the cup and sank a birdie putt for a two-shot lead.

“I worked on my short game at the end of the year and now it’s paying off,” said Kite, who putts cross-handed.

He is appearing in the Tournament of Champions for the 12th time, winning in 1985 and finishing in the top 10 in five other outings.

Golf Notes

Jodie Mudd got a hole in one on the par three, 188-yard seventh hole. He used a seven-iron. Mudd, who shot a 71 Saturday, had a hole in one at the Shearson-Lehman Bros. Open at Torrey Pines last year. . . Fred Couples’ low round of 67 was matched by Ben Crenshaw, who is at 211, eight shots behind Kite.