Toms' Ace in the Hole May Win Pot at PGA

By THOMAS BONK

Aug. 19, 2001 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

DULUTH, Ga. —

Welcome to the world of David Toms, career journeyman. To think that he belongs anywhere on that unofficial list of Best Player Who Has Never Won a Major is such a stretch, you’d have to use an elastic pen to even think about writing his name.

So what possible explanation can there be for what happened Saturday at the PGA Championship?

You’ve got this shy, soft-spoken 34-year-old from Shreveport, La., who packs less of a jolt than decaf coffee. He posts a 65 and comes up with the most electrifying shot of the tournament--a hole in one--and takes a two-shot lead after three rounds of the year’s fourth and final major championship.

Toms’ bolt came from out of nowhere. Trailing Phil Mickelson by one shot at the tee of the par-three 15th, Toms nailed a five-wood from 243 yards and watched as the ball bounced straight into the hole for a dramatic ace.

Toms stood for a few seconds, then lifted both arms in celebration. He wouldn’t have been any more surprised if you had told him he had just won the lottery.

Afterward, Toms expressed the depth of his emotions about his historic shot.

“It was quite exciting,” he said.

Aren’t you just getting goose bumps all over? Meanwhile, Mickelson was nearly as good with his third consecutive 66, an adventurous round if there ever was one, just not quite enough to move clear of Toms, who is at 14-under-par 196.

That score breaks the 54-hole scoring record for majors last set by Ernie Els (197) in the 1995 PGA Championship at par-71 Riviera.

The search for his first major title goes on for Mickelson, who owned a two-shot lead with four holes to go, only to lose it because of a couple of bogeys combined with some unexpected magic from Toms.

“Being two shots behind is certainly not a bad spot to be in,” Mickelson said. “I have some ground to make up, but I certainly like the position.”

This is an entirely acceptable philosophy, mainly because it’s the only position Mickelson has.

And do not think that it’s only a two-man race, either. There are nearly as many players with a chance to win as Bobby Jones stories being passed around the clubhouse of his old home club.

Four shots behind Toms at 10-under 200 is Steve Lowery, who jumped into the fray with a 66 and is tied with the orange-shirted, white-hatted, good-luck machine that is Shingo Katayama.

The 28-year-old from Japan saved par at the 18th after his second shot actually skipped over the water like a smooth stone and landed just off the green. This was the hole after his ball bounced a couple of times on the rough stone retaining wall at the green and decided to dive onto the grass instead of the water. He made par there too.

Said Katayama: “Very lucky . . . very, very lucky.”

It was quite an act, all right. Sizing up his chip shot at the 18th, he teetered on the rock wall and nearly fell backward into the water. Shingo may not be destined to win his first major, but with his gentle nature, easy smile and sense of timing, it’s clear he would have a bright future starring in his own comedy/variety show.

Said Katayama: “I love it when all the supporters call me ‘Shingo, Shingo!’ I want more and more fans so they can call me ‘Shingo, Shingo!’ ”

Fair enough. Then there is David Duval, who wants another major title to add to the one he bagged last month at the British Open. Duval shot a 67 and would have been there with Katayama and Lowery, but he bogeyed the 18th after his second shot sunk into heavy rough behind the green, where chipping out was a mess.

Duval begins today alone in fifth at nine-under 201.

“I could be a lot lower than I am, but fortunately I’m right in there,” he said.

Davis Love III is next after a 65 put him at 203, seven under par, but seven shots behind Toms. Catching up won’t be easy, but he says it’s not impossible.

“You don’t want to be that far back, but at least you won’t feel that far out of it if you’re six or seven back on a golf course like this,” Love said. “You never know what’s going to happen and you never know how the leaders are going to feel.”

This is doubly true for Toms and Mickelson, although for different reasons. Toms hasn’t really been in this position before, so his mental state is unknown. Mickelson has been here bunches of times and hasn’t come through, so you have to say the same for him.

That list of players who haven’t won a major has his name at the top and Mickelson knows it well.

“The longer it goes on, the more difficult it could be,” he said. “But also, I know what to expect and I’m able to anticipate it, so it doesn’t come as a shock or a surprise.”

His round featured eight birdies, a double bogey and two bogeys. The lowlight was when he doubled the third hole after driving it into the left rough and hitting a tree. The highlight was on No. 14 when he nearly holed out from the fairway with an eight-iron, the ball going in and out of the cup, Mickelson tapping in for birdie.

“There’s nothing I can do right now other than prepare for tomorrow’s round and see if I can attack, which is what I need to do,” he said.

Toms and Mickelson aren’t sure who has the edge because of what happened three months ago at the tournament in New Orleans. Toms shot a 64 on the last day to win his fifth tournament by two shots over Mickelson, who had a 72.

“I would like very much to steal one from him,” Mickelson said.

Toms said Mickelson left the door open at New Orleans.

“It was his tournament to lose. He just didn’t play up to his capabilities in the last round.”

It’s somebody’s tournament to win and someone’s to lose again today, only this time the stage is grand, the pressure intense and the rewards great. Toms, 14th in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings, says the expectations of others for his success won’t be high.

“But I’ll have them for myself,” he said.

Plus, he’s going in with some momentum after finishing his round by rolling in a birdie putt from the back fringe at the 18th.

Mickelson’s expectations are quite a different matter, so the contrast is there, a major title on the line.

“Sooner or later, he’s going to win a major,” Toms said. “Sooner or later, I’m going to win a major. I don’t see why tomorrow can’t be that day.”

Mickelson could have said the same thing. Somebody may even be right today.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Third-round leaderboard

David Toms: 66-65-65--196

Phil Mickelson: 66-66-66--198

Steve Lowery: 67-67-66--200

Shingo Katayama: 67-64-69--200