Clements Still Leads Despite 72

Hometown underdog Lennie Clements fell off his record pace, yet retained his lead after three rounds of the Buick Invitational on Saturday, using two birdies in the last five holes to salvage a par-72 at Torrey Pines.

Clements, seeking his first victory in 16 seasons on the PGA Tour, had a 54-hole total of 15-under 201 to lead another non-winner, Kirk Triplett, by one shot going into today’s final round on the 7,000-yard South Course.

Triplett was five under for a three-stroke lead after the par-three 11th, where playing partner Clements took his second bogey. But Triplett bogeyed two of the final five holes to finish with a 69.

There are 18 others within four shots of Clements, including Mark O’Meara and Phil Mickelson, who both shot 66.

O’Meara, won won the season-opening Mercedes Championships at La Costa, was tied at 13-under 203 with Jesper Parnevik, John Adams and Tom Lehman. Mickelson, who has won twice this season, is in a group of six at 204.

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Al Geiberger, the first man to shoot 59 in a PGA Tour event, couldn’t match that number in the Greater Naples IntelliNet Challenge.

All he could manage was a course-record 63.

Geiberger’s hot round put him at 13-under 131 after two rounds and gave him a three-stroke lead over Raymond Floyd in the Senior Tour event at Naples, Fla.

Geiberger collected six birdies on the front nine, and three more on the back side of the Classics at Lely Resort course. He didn’t bogey a hole all day.