Graham Has His Share of Problems, but Strong Finish Gives Him Lead

Giving up three strokes to par on two holes is no way to win a golf tournament, but despite that experience Saturday, David Graham has the lead going into today’s final round of the Toshiba Senior Classic.

With a bogey on the 143-yard par-three fourth and a double bogey on the 455-yard par-four fifth, Graham dropped briefly from the lead to two strokes behind Bob Murphy.

But Graham wasn’t worried. He figured he wouldn’t be the only player to run into trouble on the 6,598-yard layout at Newport Beach Country Club.

“That’s the first time I’ve stubbed my toe in about four or five weeks,” said Graham, who has finished first, second and tied for fourth in four Senior PGA Tour events this year. “I know I’m playing well. I know I’m swinging well and I feel like I’m concentrating well. This golf course is tricky. It’s hard not to go around this course without stubbing a chip shot or three-putting a green or driving it into the trees.”

Graham also had a bogey on the ninth hole and finished his front nine one over par, but he closed strongly with three birdies on the back nine, including one on the 18th hole that gave him a two-under 69 and moved him out of a tie for the lead with Murphy at eight under overall.

J.C. Snead, who started the day in a tie with Graham and Murphy, struggled after a bogey-free Friday, falling five shots back with a 74. After a poor shot on the 18th hole, Snead was heard saying, “Get my plane ticket ready.”

Several others moved into contention. Bob Charles shot 68 and is two shots behind Graham. Lee Trevino (69) and Jay Sigel (68) are another shot back tied for fourth.

Murphy, who had been uncomfortable with his game going into the tournament, continued his resurgent play but didn’t have much to show for it.

“I played much, much better today so I’m going into tomorrow with great expectations,” he said. “I really drove it well and had an opportunity for a lot of birdies. As opposed to Friday, putts didn’t go in.”

The greens were tricky, making putting and chipping a delicate proposition. On the par-five 15th, for instance, Murphy landed his third shot five feet from the hole, but as he hit his putt for birdie, the ball bounced and had no chance to drop in.

Graham was more fortunate because he had only a one-foot putt to negotiate after chipping from just in front of the green. The birdie moved him to seven under, one stroke behind Murphy.

Then on No. 17, a 185-yard par three over water, Murphy pulled his drive into a spectator seating area. His chip made it only to the fringe and he made bogey from there.

On No. 18 Graham moved out of the tie with a birdie from four feet, which pushed his early struggles deeper into the background.