Third Round of Tournament Lost in the Fog

As far as Tom Watson was concerned, the weather wasn’t all that bad.

After fog had erased Saturday’s third round in the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, Watson said with a big grin, “I shot nothing today, the best round I ever shot.”

With a 36-hole score of 131 and sharing first place with Brad Faxon and Mike Springer, Watson could afford to be light-hearted. Since the fog trimmed the tournament to 54 holes, it figured to work to his advantage. Instead of being only halfway to his first PGA Tour victory in five years, he now has only today’s 18 holes with which to contend.

Rather than play 36 holes today or carry the tournament over until Monday, officials decided on a 54-hole format for only the second time in the 41-year history of the event. Saturday’s round was rained out in 1986.

Watson, 42, is the second all-time money winner on the tour, having earned $5,758,808. Only Tom Kite is ahead of him, with $6,834,660. Watson has won 32 tournaments, including this one in 1977 and 1980, but in view of his long drought, a victory here would be special to him.

And no, winning over an abbreviated distance instead of the standard 72 holes would not diminish Watson’s satisfaction.

“A win over 54 holes is a win,” he said. “It would be like the Senior Tour, which I’m getting close to. If I win tomorrow, I’m preparing for the Senior Tour.”

Of the cancellation, he said, “It’s going to help me because I’m still in the lead and it gives the field less time to catch up.

“I’m still thinking about my swing, which I changed just recently, and I wouldn’t say it’s a natural move for me yet. Given that theory, it’s a good thing we got fogged out today.”

Watson made the alteration in his swing after missing the cut in the United Airlines Hawaiian Open two weeks ago. He has made the cut in only one of three tournaments this year, earning $29,700 for a ninth-place tie in the AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

“I changed the position of my shoulders so I’m more upright now,” he said. “My club is not as far behind me as it used to be.”

The idea has worked so well that Watson has shot a 63 and a 68 in the first two rounds.

Asked what kind of score he might need for his 33rd victory, Watson said. “I’d say it would take a 67. I expect some pretty low numbers tomorrow.”

Watson’s fellow co-leaders were not upset by the fog, either. Faxon has had two fourth-round near misses here, and Springer has yet to win a tournament, so playing only three rounds could help either or both psychologically. Faxon is 30, Springer 26.

Faxon, who tied for fifth in 1988 and tied for second in 1989, said, “Somebody told me this golf course owes me one, but I don’t think it owes me anything. I haven’t had any tournaments stolen away. I just haven’t played well enough to win.”

This is the first time Springer has led going into the final round, but he said, “I don’t think about that. I’m always ready to go.”

One player who didn’t like the day off was Ben Crenshaw, who is five strokes behind at 136.

“It’s unfortunate for me,” Crenshaw said. “I needed two more rounds.”

Fog, of course, is nothing new at Torrey Pines. A year ago, there were two fog delays on opening day, but the fog finally lifted in time for the entire round to be played.

This time, there were only occasional breaks in the soupy conditions, and none of them lasted long enough for the golfers to get started. Officials waited 5 1/2 hours before calling off the round.

At one point during the delay--the first tee time was set for 8:27 a.m.--the format was changed to a shotgun start at 1 p.m. That way, every hole on the South course would be used at once.

But the fog persisted.