On Sizzling Day, Colbert Is Coolest Customer of All

Saturday was a great day for playing golf, all right. Either that, or stuffing yourself inside a microwave, take your pick.

If it had been much hotter at Wilshire Country Club, the players at the Ralphs Senior Classic would have used oven mitts for golf gloves.

The temperature was high, but Jim Colbert’s score was low. His six-under-par 65 moved him past Hale Irwin and into a three-shot lead he will try to protect in the final round today.

Actually, it was sort of a surprising turn of events on the storied, sun-baked layout where Howard Hughes used to be a member. One surprise is that Colbert has the lead, basically since he’s playing in only his third event since coming back from surgery for prostate cancer.

The other is that Irwin isn’t leading, basically because the only thing he hasn’t been able to do this year is reinvent Flubber.

Irwin blew all way up to a 72. Now, that’s only one over par, but the way Irwin has been playing (nine victories, $2.1 million), it must have seemed like triple digits.

So how hot was it out there, Hale?

“I felt like I was in a refrigerator,” he said.

You can see why. Irwin has played 69 rounds this year and only 12 have been over par. This one was his first in a month, so he’s just not used to it.

Irwin putted poorly and said, once again, that he’s weary after a long year.

“Maybe [Dave] Stockton doesn’t believe it, but I’m tired. It’s been a very good year, but it’s taken its toll.”

For Gil Morgan, a very good year would be this one, which has featured four victories and $1.7 million in prize money. Morgan has a chance for an even better year if he can come from three shots back today and catch Colbert.

Morgan stayed cool with a five-under 66 and a nine-under 133, which is two shots ahead of Irwin, Jimmy Powell and George Archer, who are tied at 135.

Graham Marsh shot a 69 and is tied at six-under 136 with Stockton, who had a 72. Gary Player, Larry Nelson, Leonard Thompson and Charles Coody are next at 137.

Morgan offered to share some of his thoughts about the time he spent on the golf course.

“I thought it was hot out there,” he said.

He let off a little steam at the par-three 10th, where he left his bunker shot in the sand and wound up with a bogey. But Morgan finished strongly with three consecutive birdies, beginning at No. 15. The experience still left him with mixed feelings.

“You know, I was feeling pretty good about everything until I saw Jim Colbert was at 12 under,” Morgan said. “Then I didn’t feel very good anymore.”

Morgan knocked a sand wedge to four feet on No. 15 and made his putt for birdie. His sand wedge on No. 16 got him to within 15 feet, from where he rolled in another putt for birdie. He got his third in a row at No. 17 when he knocked his pitching wedge to 12 feet, then curled in the putt.

Colbert knew he was on the right track when he holed out from a bunker on No. 4. His six-birdie, no-bogey round amounted to his second consecutive 65, which means that Colbert has the consistency thing down if nothing else.

Not long after he had cancer surgery June 23, Colbert considering sitting out the rest of the year, but he came back three weeks ago. Even though he finished tied for 32nd at Hawaii and tied for 28th at Sacramento, Colbert isn’t exactly stunned by what he has done at Wilshire.

“I don’t know that I am surprised. I’m still just seeing what I can do since I came back.”

Colbert got fatigued at the 11th hole, so he rode his cart for a while, had something to eat, then felt better. He birdied the 12th with an 18-foot putt and Nos. 14 and 15 after wedges that got him close.

And now he’s close to a victory, which would be his 19th on the senior tour--and his first since cancer surgery. Colbert isn’t ready to admit his feelings about his comeback, not just yet.

“I’ll tell you tomorrow,” he said.

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The Leaders

Scores through 36 holes of the $1-million Ralphs Senior Classic on the par-71 (35-36), 6,575-yard Wilshire Country Club course:

Jim Colbert: 65-65--130 -12

Gil Morgan: 67-66--133 -9

George Archer: 67-68--135 -7

Hale Irwin: 63-72--135 -7

Jimmy Powell: 68-67--135 -7

Dave Stockton: 64-72--136 -6

Graham Marsh: 67-69--136 -6

COMPLETE SCORES: C19