New Competition for Woods at Top

The Canadian Open brought forth a new lineup of challengers to try to stop Tiger Woods.

On a day when six players were tied for the lead at one point, Woods hit a spectator in the head with a tee shot but did little else wrong Saturday in a round of eight-under-par 64 at Oakville, Ontario, giving him a share of the lead with Grant Waite and a chance for the winningest season on the PGA Tour in 50 years.

Woods said it won’t be easy, not with 11 players within five strokes of the lead.

“It’s pretty wide open because so many players are bunched up,” said Woods, who was at 201 and is seeking his ninth tour victory of the year.

But none of them has the ability to overpower Glen Abbey like Woods. None of them has as much experience posing with the trophy.

That was not lost on Waite, who played the final six holes in five under for a 68 that put him in the final pairing with Woods, the first time they have played together since the Byron Nelson Classic in 1993.

“He was 17 and I could beat him then,” Waite said. “He wasn’t as intimidating.”

Woods is every bit of that now.

Even more daunting to his challengers is his record--21-2 worldwide when he has at least a share of the 54-hole lead.

A victory would be the perfect end to an incredible summer during which he won three straight majors and completed the career Grand Slam. At stake today is a chance to become the only player besides Lee Trevino in 1971 to win the innocuous “Triple Crown”--the U.S., British and Canadian opens--in the same year.

“An open is an open,” Woods said. “A national open is something you take pride in winning.”

One stroke behind was J.L. Lewis, whose only victory came in the John Deere Classic last year, and Stephen Ames, a native of Trinidad and Tobago who is trying to become a Canadian citizen.

Waite claimed his only only PGA Tour victory in the 1993 Kemper Open. That happened to follow his experience playing with Woods in Dallas, where both missed the cut.

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Michele Redmond can appreciate the value of a good night’s sleep.

Redmond, coming off a four-under 68 in the opening round, shot a 66 to take a one-stroke lead in the LPGA First Union Betsy King Classic at Kutztown, Pa.

Nine golfers are within four strokes of the lead heading into today’s final round of the $800,000 tournament.

For Redmond, though, it was an odd mixture of rest and tension.

“I slept well last night and it paid off,” said Redmond, who had a sixth-place finish seven weeks ago at the Giant Eagle Classic. “I think I have been playing well lately, and I wanted to put pressure on myself.”

Tina Barrett, who set the course record of nine-under 63 in Friday’s opening round, shot a 72 and is one stroke off the lead, tied with Jean Bartholomew and Leta Lindley at 135.

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Defending champion Gil Morgan overcame stiff winds to birdie the last two holes and grab a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the Senior PGA Tour’s Comfort Classic at Indianapolis.

Morgan, who shared the first-round lead with Tom Wargo after shooting an eight-under 64 Friday, came back with a 67 at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course on the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.