Irwin, Love in Control

Hale Irwin refused to discuss history Saturday, although he’s on the verge of making it.

The two-time defending champion shot a three-under-par 69, leaving him 18 holes away from becoming the first man since World War II to capture three consecutive PGA Seniors’ Championships.

“The significance of three in a row, I’m not even thinking about it right now,” he said after finishing with a three-day total of 205 and a five-stroke lead.

Still, there was a sense of the inevitable after Irwin became the only player to shoot three sub-70 rounds in the gusty winds at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. He was 33 under for his last 11 rounds over the 6,722-yard Champion course at the PGA National Golf Club.

“If Hale plays good tomorrow, he’ll be hard to catch,” said Larry Nelson, who birdied the 18th to take over second place with a 70 for 210. “If he doesn’t play good tomorrow, he’ll still be hard to catch.”

Gil Morgan, who had three birdies on the back nine, finished with a 70 and was at 211.

Jack Nicklaus, the co-leader with Irwin after the first round, fell to 12 shots off the lead after a 75.

Irwin’s chip shot on the par-three seventh hole slammed into the flagstick and into the hole for a birdie and a four-stroke advantage.

Nelson said he had never seen a ball hit a stick with such speed.

“He may never have seen one that fast,” Irwin said, “but I thought it was perfect.”

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Davis Love III put himself in position for a fourth MCI Classic title after a five-under 66 left him two strokes ahead of Phil Mickelson at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Love, at 23, was the MCI’s youngest champion when he won his first PGA Tour event here in 1987. He won in 1991 and 1992, joining Payne Stewart as the tournament’s only repeat winners.

He’s the MCI’s career money leader with $599,553. Only Irwin counts as many plaid champions coats in his closet as Love.

“I wish they could move the Masters here, I play this so well. No matter what happens tomorrow, this will always be a great place for me,” said Love, who was at 12-under 201.

Mickelson, six shots off the lead when the round began, tied a tournament record with a front-side 30 and was at 10-under 203 after a 65. Stewart, a two-time MCI winner, shot his way into contention with a 64, the low round of the week.

Second-round leader Jay Haas faded to a 76 and was eight shots back.

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Karrie Webb, poised to run away with the lead until a double bogey at No. 16, recovered with a birdie at the 18th hole to take a one-shot lead over Meg Mallon after three rounds of the Myrtle Beach Classic at Murrells Inlet, S.C.

Webb’s six-foot birdie putt at No. 18 finished a four-under 68 at the Wachesaw East Golf Club, giving her a three-day total of 14-under 202. She had led by as many as four shots late in the round until pushing her drive into the trees at No. 16.

The best round of the day belonged to Liselotte Neumann, who had seven birdies and an eagle on the way to a 63. She had a chance at tying the tour record of 62 set by Mallon on Thursday, but her chip on her last hole just missed.