Sutton Won’t Play Possum for Tiger

Hal Sutton was cruising along toward a wire-to-wire victory in the Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Thanks to one swing on the most unforgiving hole in golf Saturday, he’ll have to go toe to toe with Tiger Woods.

Sutton’s ball found the water on the island-green 17th hole, leading to a triple bogey and turning a comfortable lead into a slim one-stroke advantage over the world’s best golfer heading into today’s final round.

“I’m not going to roll over and play dead,” Sutton said. “Y’all can figure a way for me to do that, but I’m going to figure out every way not to.”

Despite the disaster on the famous par-three 17th, Sutton shot his third consecutive three-under-par 69 and was at 207.

Woods broke 70 for the first time in 16 rounds on the Stadium Course, and then some. He birdied four of the first six holes, hit a choked-down, cut-shot four-iron from a fairway bunker on No. 11 within three feet of the hole for eagle and wound up with a six-under 66 on a slightly breezy day that allowed for 34 scores under par.

At 208, he is in great position to win for the fourth time this year and 11th time in his last 17 events on the PGA Tour.

“I’m going to go out there and play my own game, and we’ll see what happens,” Woods said. “Hal may think a little differently. That’s the way he plays, and he needs to motivate himself the way he needs to.”

Tom Lehman double-bogeyed the 18th hole for a 72 and was at five-under 211. Jeff Sluman had a 66 and was another stroke back.

It all came down to one hole, an island of terror no more than a nine-iron away.

Woods, playing two groups ahead of Sutton, hit a wedge that flew past the pin cut to the back of the green, landed on the fringe on its second hop and then slowly spun back, safely on dry land. He two-putted for par from 12 feet.

“I was surprised the ball actually flew past the hole,” said Woods, who laughed when he saw the ball mark beyond the cup.

If only Sutton could have such fortune.

“It was one swing away from being a 66,” he said. “I hope I can do the same thing tomorrow. If I do, he’ll have to play his tail off.”

Sutton was at 12 under and had gone 25 holes without a bogey when he stepped up to the 17th tee. His tee shot landed beyond and left of where Woods’ did, only it hopped hard over the island and into the pond.

He got tentative with a lob wedge from the drop area, and the ball spun back to the front of the green against the wiry first cut of rough. Fearful of hitting the ball through the green and into the water again, he hit a putter to about 25 feet and two-putted for a six.

“It was like I was hollering ‘Uncle!’ the whole way,” Sutton said.

He promises that won’t be the case today, when he will be paired with Woods for the final 18 holes with plenty on the line--$1,080,000 to the winner, and a chance for Sutton to back up what he has said all week: He is not afraid of Tiger Woods.

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Gil Morgan, continuing a comeback from a rib injury, extended his lead in the Emerald Coast Classic to two strokes over Larry Nelson in the second round of the PGA Senior Tour event at Milton, Fla.

Morgan shot a second consecutive five-under 65 for a 36-hole score of 130 going into today’s final round at the Moors Golf Club. He led by a stroke after the first round over Nelson, who shot a 66 for a two-day score of 132, and Jim Dent, who fell off the pace at 139 after a three-over 73.

The Emerald Coast is Morgan’s first official event of the season after he suffered a pulled rib muscle while lifting weights in December. He aggravated the injury during the pro-am Thursday but found relief by adding treatment from a chiropractor to the physical therapy he has been receiving since being injured.

Morgan had six birdies, one on the 406-yard, par-four first hole that he eagled Friday, and one bogey. Nelson, who bogeyed the second hole but came back with five birdies, said he felt lucky to be only two strokes down.