Cook’s Tour Is Record and Big Memphis Lead

John Adams shot a bogey-free 66 Saturday at the TPC at Southwinds course, but spent much of his time as an awed spectator.

His playing partner, John Cook, put on quite a show.

Cook shot an eight-under-par 63 and has a six-stroke lead after three rounds of the St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tenn.

More to the point, Cook is at 24-under 189, the lowest total in PGA Tour history through the first three rounds.

The old mark was 191, set by Johnny Palmer in 1954 and tied by Gay Brewer in 1967.

His 189 also tied the low total through three consecutive rounds set by Charlie Harper during the 1954 Texas Open.

“You get kind of wrapped up watching him go,” Adams said. “When it’s your turn to make birdie, sometimes you get lackadaisical a little bit.”

Cook didn’t. It has been four years since he won on the PGA Tour, and his game had soured to the point where he talked retirement at 38.

“I’ve done things the way that I’ve wanted to do it,” said Cook of the last three days. “In my mind, somewhere back in the cobwebs of my head in the last couple of years, I knew that I could do something like this at some point in time.”

Adams started the day three shots behind and finished six shots back, still in second place.

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Michelle Estill played only two holes, but sank a 40-foot birdie putt on one of them to tie Amy Fruhwirth, who played only one hole in the second round of the rain-plagued Rochester (N.Y.) International LPGA tournament. They are at four under par.

Only 66 of the 141 golfers completed the second round after play was suspended for almost seven hours because of a downpour.

The second round will be completed today, followed by the final 18 holes.

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Jay Sigel attacked the Chester Valley Golf Club course with a four-under-par 66 in the second round to take a share of the lead with John Schroeder at the Senior PGA Tour’s Bell Atlantic Classic in Malvern, Pa. Sigel had a five-under 135 after 36 holes. Schroeder followed Friday’s 68 with a 67 to keep pace.

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Mark Johnson, twice a medalist but never in the finals in 20 years of playing in the California Amateur Golf Championship, defeated Brian Crocker, 8 and 7, in the 36-hole final match at Pebble Beach. It was the largest margin of victory in a finals match since Mark O’Meara defeated Lennie Clements in 1979.

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Jody Niemann of Rigby, Idaho, beat Amy Dahle of Red Lake Falls, Minn., 1 up, to advance to the semifinals of match play in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship in Alton, Ill.

Niemann will face close friend Heather Graff of Kennewick, Wash., in today’s semifinals.

The other semifinal match will send Carolyn Klecker of Minneapolis against Lauri Berles of Grandville, Mich.

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Allison Rose of Scotland, in her first Curtis Cup, won all four of her matches in the two-day event and dropped the clinching putt in Britain-Ireland’s 11 1/2-6 1/2 victory over the U.S. team at Killarney, Ireland.

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He’s Cooking

With a three-round score of 64-62-63--189 at Memphis, John Cook has set numerous records. If he shoots a 67 today, he will break the all-time record for 72 holes.

54 HOLES

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Score Player Year/Event 189 John Cook 1996 St. Jude Open 191 Gay Brewer 1967 Pensacola Open 191 Johnny Palmer 1954 Texas Open

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THREE CONSECUTIVE ROUNDS

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Score Player Year/Event 189 John Cook 1996 St. Jude Open 189 Chandler Harper 1954 Texas Open

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72 HOLES

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Score Player Year/Event 257 Mike Souchak 1955 Texas Open 258 Donnie Hammond 1989 Texas Open

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