Oh, Deere: Triplett Has Lead After 62

After playing well for the first two rounds of the John Deere Classic, Kirk Triplett did even better Saturday, shooting a nine-under-par 62 to go from a fourth-place tie to the top of the leader board.

He tied the day-old record for the tournament’s new course, the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run near Silvis, Ill., and finished the round 18 under at 195.

David Frost, a two-time former tournament champion who established the course record Friday, struggled to a 70 and trails Triplett by two shots.

Triplett had seven birdies in his round, including four in a row beginning on the eighth hole.

The great round came despite breezes that made club selection more difficult.

“It was a little windier, playing longer in some spots and shorter in other spots,” Triplett said.

Triplett picked up two more strokes on the par-five 17th, where he hit a three-wood within five feet of the hole, then made the putt for an eagle.

Rain caught up to him on the 18th, however, and Triplett scrambled to save par after his drive drifted right into the fairway treeline.

Frost, after picking up an early birdie, double-bogeyed No. 5 after firing his approach shot into a bunker to the left of the green, then missing a putt. He also bogeyed No. 16.

Michael Clark II had a 63 that left him 15 under. He also had an eagle, his coming on the par-four 18th, where he holed a pitching wedge from 140 yards.

Tour rookie Charles Howell, playing in his third PGA event after deciding in June to forgo his last season at Oklahoma State, was another two shots back after a 68 left him in a four-way tie at 200.

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Helen Alfredsson three-putted the last two holes to give away the lead in the second round of the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic at Howland, Ohio, as Michele Redman and Se Ri Pak moved into a tie for the lead at 10-under 134.

Alfredsson and Pat Hurst are one stroke back heading into the final round.

Alfredsson tossed her putter at her bag as she left the 18th green after her second consecutive bogey closed out a two-under-par 70. She then went out and hit some balls on the practice range.

Alfredsson led by a shot going to the 17th hole, but her 45-foot birdie putt was left of the hole and she missed the five-footer coming back. On the 18th green, she rolled a 30-foot birdie putt past the hole and then failed to make a four-foot par putt.

The Swede also three-putted the last hole for bogey in the first round.

“I just have to have some boo-boos,” she said. “There’s not a day without boo-boos.”

Pak started the day tied for the lead with Alfredsson after each shot a 65 in the opening round. Pak had a 69 Saturday.

Pak, chasing her ninth victory, won the Giant Eagle two years ago when Dottie Pepper missed a short putt on the final hole that would have forced a playoff.

Pak said she’s more relaxed and confident now than she was during her two previous seasons on tour.

“Now I play much better than last two years,” the South Korean said. “This year I trust myself 100%. I feel more comfortable out there. Every shot, I can find the problem if I miss. I am more focused on my game. I have learned a lot about my game and myself.”

Redman, an Ohio native followed around the course by her parents, is seeking her second career victory and first in three years. But she has no plans to look at the leader board during the final round.

“I’ll try not to. It really shouldn’t matter,” said Redman, who shot a 68 Saturday. “I’m not going to play more aggressively or not as aggressive because of one or two shots.”

Playing in the same group, Pak and Alfredsson traded or shared the lead for most of the day. There was a two-shot swing at No. 13, where Pak got a bogey and Alfredsson a birdie.

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Bruce Fleisher continues to dominate the Long Island Classic at Jericho, N.Y. The tournament’s first wire-to-wire winner last year had a course-record 63 in the first round and followed that up with a six-under 66.

And to top things off, he just missed a hole in one on the 165-yard 18th hole.

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South Africa’s John Bland took a one-shot lead over Christy O’Connor Jr. after the third round of the Senior British Open at Newcastle, Northern Ireland. Bland, 54, from Johannesburg, shot an even-par 71 for a three-round total of seven-under 206.

Former U.S. Open champion Hubert Green is in third place at 208.