Gamez Takes Aim at Ending Drought

Robert Gamez, winless since taking two events in 1990 in his first two months on the PGA Tour, shot a five-under-par 66 Saturday for a share of the third-round lead in the John Deere Classic at Silvis, Ill.

J.P. Hayes, the second-round co-leader after a course-record 61, had a 67 to match Gamez at 18-under 195 on the TPC at Deere Run.

The start of the round was delayed nearly five hours because of a morning thunderstorm. Because of the wet conditions, players were allowed to lift, clean and place in the fairways.

Mike Heinen, who opened with a 63 to top the field after the first round, was three strokes back at 15 under after a 66.

Gamez, who won the 1990 Tucson Open in his first official tour start, birdied the par-five 10th to grab a share of the lead with Hayes and Heinen, then took the lead with a birdie at the 11th. Gamez added birdies on Nos. 14, 17 and 18 to reach 18 under.

*

Gloria Park matched the tournament record with an eight-under-par 63, but all that did was tie her for the lead with Annika Sorenstam, who had a 64, after three rounds of the LPGA Big Apple Classic at New Rochelle, N.Y.

Park, in her third season on tour, matched Betsy King’s 63 from 1990, but that was when the 6,161-yard Wykagyl Country Club course played to par 72. Since it was changed to par 71 the next year, Park’s round was the lowest.

Park had five of her eight birdies on the back nine, including three over the final four holes. Park has one career victory, five fewer than Sorenstam has in 2002.

The world’s No. 1 woman player started the round one stroke in front of Park and three behind second-round leader Kelli Kuehne, who had a 73 and is six shots back.

*

Bob Gilder extended his streak to 47 holes without a bogey and kept his one-stroke lead after two rounds of the FleetBoston Classic at Concord, Mass., despite a late surge by Jim Thorpe.

Gilder shot five-under 67 and was at 11-under 133 in his bid to become the first golfer to win consecutive senior tournaments since Thorpe did it last year. Thorpe birdied four of the last five holes and was at 10 under. Ted Goin and Dave Eichelberger were another stroke behind.

Arnold Palmer had the only eagle Friday and produced the first eagle Saturday, holing a 95-yard wedge on the 526-yard fifth hole. His rounds of 75 and 74 are his lowest this year.

*

Tom Watson shot a five-over-par 76 in windy conditions and slipped to fourth place after three rounds of the Senior British Open at Newcastle, Northern Ireland. The five-time British Open champion was eight strokes behind leader Noboru Sugai of Japan, who overcame 40-mph wind gusts and two double bogeys to shoot a two-over 73. Sugai, at six-under 207, was the only player under par.... Germany’s Tobias Dier eagled the final hole for a three-under 67 and a three-stroke lead after three rounds of the $1.8-million Dutch Open at Hilversum, Netherlands.