GOLF ROUNDUP : Crenshaw Leads Big Pack by One

Ben Crenshaw rolled in a 30-foot putt on the 18th hole to break out of a six-way logjam and take a one-shot lead in front of a record crowd at the Phoenix Open at Scottsdale.

The round was played before 119,353, the largest announced crowd in tour history. Until his birdie on the final hole, Crenshaw was headed into the final round of the $1.3-million tournament tied with Steve Lowery, John Adams, Vijay Singh, Billy Mayfair and Jim Furyk at 10-under-par 203.

Crenshaw’s birdie gave him a 70 and helped him atone for a double-bogey six at No. 14.

Of his game, Crenshaw, 43, said: “I’m playing a little more consistently. I feel like I’m driving a little bit better. My misses are better, if there’s such a thing. We all try to eliminate our misses, but it is a game of misses, and I’m coming close.”

Behind the second-place cluster, John Wilson and Hale Irwin, a co-leader with Crenshaw at 10-under starting the round, were at 204, with Mark Calcavecchia and Steve Stricker. Steve Jones and Tom Watson were at 205.

Another big group--Kirk Triplett, Loren Roberts, Joe Ozaki, Payne Stewart, Donnie Hammond, Bruce Lietzke, Tom Purtzer, Rick Fehr and Phil Mickelson--made it 20 golfers within four shots of the lead.

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Raymond Floyd, picking up where he left off on the final day of the Senior Skins Game a year ago, rolled in three birdie putts to win $130,000 on the opening day of the 1995 event at the Mauna Lani Resort at Kohala Coast, Hawaii.

Jack Nicklaus earned $80,000 by winning the seventh and eighth holes.

Arnold Palmer, just getting over a two-week bout with sinus problems, and Lee Trevino, coming back from November neck surgery, were shut out.

The second nine holes will be played today, when $330,000 of the $540,000 purse will be up for grabs.

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Fred Couples shot a five-under par 67 and took a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Johnnie Walker Classic at Manila.

Nick Price, the second-round leader, shot a 71 for a 209 and fell into a third-place tie.

Greg Norman shot a 70 for 212.