SENIOR GOLF / THE TRADITION : Floyd Sits Well, but So Does Colbert

The good news for the Senior PGA Tour is that Raymond Floyd plans to concentrate on the older golf circuit. The bad news is that he might take over the tour.

Every time he tees up in the 50-and over set, he automatically becomes the favorite. About half the time he is either first or second.

So far, the $850,000 Tradition, being contested on the 6,869-yard Desert Mountain Cochise course, is not an exception for Floyd.

After building a four-shot lead at one point Saturday, Floyd settled for a four-under-par 68, a 54-hole total of 203 and a one-stroke lead over Jim Colbert.

Colbert, barely missing an eagle on No. 18, also had a 68 for 204. Another shot behind was Dale Douglass, who birdied the last three holes for a 69 and 205.

Charles Coody, co-leader after 36 holes, was at 206 with a 71. Gibby Gilbert, the other co-leader, double bogeyed the first hole, never recovered and shot a one-over 73. He is with five others at eight under par. At 209 is Isao Aoki, four shots behind Floyd.

The trend in the seniors this year has been for a big come-from-behind victory on the final day.

It happened to Floyd in his previous senior event, the GTE Suncoast at Naples, Fla. Floyd shot a final-round 66, but Rocky Thompson shot a senior-record 61 to win by a stroke.

That was Floyd’s 23rd senior tournament. Instead of his sixth victory, it was the sixth time Floyd finished second. He has a chance for his 12th top-two position in 24 today.

Floyd faltered on the last hole Saturday, a 531-yard par-five reachable in two. Instead of a birdie, he had a bogey. His first poor drive of the tournament sailed to the right into the desert. He hit a provisional ball also into the desert. Luckily, he found the first one, so it cost him only one stroke when he took an unplayable lie. A lost ball would have cost him two strokes. As it was, he still almost chipped in for what would have been an amazing par.

“I feel I played better than a 68,” Floyd said. “After a poor second shot on No. 3 led to my first bogey of the week, I played rather well.

“On both 15 and 17, I had putts that would have gone in except for the paint they use on the cups so they can be seen on TV. Late in the day it hardens. Both putts would have been in otherwise. I guess the answer is to putt the ball into the center of the hole.”

Floyd said he felt good about the way he was playing.

“I will go out and shoot the best I can,” he said. “I have no control over anybody else. Someone could come along and shoot like Rocky did, but I’ll take my chances.”

Colbert has had his own experience at losing to a hot finisher. In 1991, he led this tournament by five shots. But Jack Nicklaus, wiping out a 36-hole deficit of 12 strokes, beat him by one shot.

An even worse experience for Colbert was last month at Ojai. Jay Sigel, trailing by 10 shots going into the final round, rallied to tie Colbert and won on the fourth playoff hole.

“When you trail Raymond Floyd in the last round, you can’t feel too confident,” Colbert said. “A bad round for Floyd here would be a 69 or 70. So, if he plays his normal game, it will be tough beating him.

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Gene Littler, 63, shot a one-over 73 for a 216 total to beat Don January by one shot in the super senior event. He won $20,000.

It was his third victory in 60-and-over competition this spring.