Verplank Leads by One in Tour Shootout

Scott Verplank held his own Saturday with a three-under-par 68, a score that figured to be worth more than a one-stroke lead anywhere else but this year’s edition of the Tour Championship.

On another calm day of low scoring at Champions Golf Club in Houston, David Duval soared into contention with a 63, and Jim Furyk joined the mix with birdies on half of his holes for a tournament-record 62.

All but four players in the 29-man field shot par or better.

When Verplank three-putted for bogey on the last hole, the stage was set for a grand finale to the PGA Tour season.

Verplank was at 13-under 200, and will be paired with Duval, who won at Champions in 1997.

Ernie Els kept his hopes alive for his first victory of the year with a 65, holing a 45-foot par putt on the 17th hole to finish at 202. He was joined by Bernhard Langer, Mike Weir, Sergio Garcia, Bob Estes and Kenny Perry.

“You’ve got to shoot better than 68 or you go backward,” Els said.

Furyk’s 62 put him at 203, along with PGA champion David Toms.

About the only player missing from the list was Tiger Woods, who made bogey on the 18th hole for the second consecutive day and had a 69. He was six strokes back and in no mood to talk.

Adding to his frustration was getting put on the clock while playing with Estes.

Champions is playing about one stroke easier than two years ago, and Verplank summed up the low scoring by saying of his 68, “I didn’t feel like I was hitting on all cylinders.”

“I don’t think I can go out and par every hole and win,” he said.

Asked the difference in his 63, Duval replied, “Making birdie where I made triple bogey, and two other bogeys.” He had some other help, like a 60-foot eagle putt on No. 5 and chipping in from 70 feet on No. 12.

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Chad Campbell, playing his second PGA Tour tournament since being promoted from the Buy.com Tour, shot a seven-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Southern Farm Bureau Classic at Madison, Miss.

Campbell, the leading money winner on the Buy.com Tour this season, closed his round with three birdies to finish at 17-under 199.

Dicky Pride also closed strong, shooting a 32 on the back nine to finish with a 67 for a 201 total and second place.

Pride is the only player in the top four with a PGA Tour victory and that came eight years ago in his rookie season. He is No. 190 on the money list and most likely needs to win to avoid having to earn his tour card for 2002 at qualifying school.

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Annika Sorenstam shot a five-under 67 that was good for a two-stroke lead over Laura Davies after two rounds of the Mizuno Classic at Hanno, Japan.

Sorenstam, coming off a victory last week in the World Ladies Match Play tournament and looking to win for the eighth time this year on the LPGA circuit, had two birdies and an eagle on the front nine. The 31-year-old Swede had another birdie on the inward nine for an 11-under 133 on the Musashigaoka course.

“I wasn’t that pleased with my round today,” Sorenstam said. “The eagle on the ninth hole was nice. Of course I was aiming for the hole when I hit it out of the bunker and I just got lucky.”

Davies, who began the round four strokes back, closed out the front with three birdies and moved into contention with a bogey-free 65.