GOLF ROUNDUP : Price Leads Norman by Two With 18 to Play

Nick Price matched Greg Norman’s five-under-par 67 and retained a two-shot lead Saturday through three rounds of the Western Open.

Price, the leader all the way at Lemont, Ill., completed 54 holes in 202, 14 under par, on the Dubsdread course at Cog Hill.

Norman, runner-up in this tournament the last two years and four times overall, was at 204.

The two close friends will be paired in the final round today in the chase for a $216,000 first prize.

They sounded like a mutual admiration society in their assessment of each other.

“Greg is one of those guys who can just overpower a golf course,” said Price, who is going for his second consecutive victory and third of the season.

“I know what I have to do,” Price said. “I have to go out and play well. Because I know Greg will.”

Norman was equally complimentary.

“Nickie is on a roll,” he said of the current PGA champion, who last week scored his sixth victory in 12 months.

“But he’s not infallible. He’s not uncatchable.”

Price would be out of reach if he had to play only the first 17 holes. For the third day in a row, he bogeyed the 18th, this time missing the green.

John Adams, who matched the course record with a 63, and Curtis Strange shared third at 206, four behind Price.

Veterans Larry Nelson, with a 67, and Doug Tewell, 68, were next at 207.

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The unlikely pair of Bob Charles and Bob Reith shared the lead after the second round of the $850,000 Kroger Senior Classic at Mason, Ohio.

Charles, the leading money winner on the senior tour, had a 66. Reith, who has never won on the PGA or senior tour, shot 67 as both were at eight-under-par 134.

Four players were one stroke back, including Joe Jimenez, who shot his age--67--to win the two-day tournament within a tournament for players 60 and over.

Three others, including Lee Trevino, were within two strokes.

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Jane Geddes tied the course record with a seven-under-par 64 and took the lead after the second round of the LPGA Jamie Farr Toledo Classic at Sylvania, Ohio.

Geddes’ total of 10-under 132 was two better than Brandie Burton and Hollis Stacy with 18 holes to play on the 6,295-yard, par-71 Highland Meadows Golf Club.

Geddes, who won this event in 1987 when it was played at Glengarry Country Club, had seven birdies, including four on the back nine. She had a poor drive on the 18th hole but was able to save par and match Chris Johnson’s tournament record, set in 1989.

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Jose Maria Olazabal double-bogeyed the 18th hole and sharing the lead with Ireland’s John McHenry after the third round of the Irish Open at Kilkenny.