Fran Quinn leads, but Esteban Toledo makes move at Hoag Classic

If anyone needed proof that love at first sight really does exist, they have not talked to Esteban Toledo.

The 56-year-old native of Mexico has a love affair with Newport Beach Country Club that spans three decades.

He first met his wife at the club when he was playing in the Taco Bell Classic in 1994, a professional tournament that was held at the golf course before the PGA Tour Champions event came to town.

“She was there waitressing and I asked her for a Coke, and she charged me one dollar for the first time and the second one didn’t charge me,” Toledo said. “I’m assuming it was something nice. Her name is Colleen.”

Toledo said that upon their first encounter, he threw peanuts on her and told her that she was going to be his wife.

“She said that I was loco,” Toledo said. “About three years later, I put a ring on her and see what happens. I married her and now we’ve got two kids. It’s been fantastic.

“She thought I was crazy, but I wasn’t crazy. I know what I want in life, and I got two kids, and they’re wonderful. It’s going to be a good day tomorrow.”

Toledo was feeling all kinds of wonderful after he vaulted himself into a tie for fourth place in the Hoag Classic on Saturday at Newport Beach Country Club. He shot a six-under-par 65, which took him to seven under for the tournament.

Heading into the final round, Toledo, who owns a house in Irvine, is four shots behind the leader in Fran Quinn.

“This one would mean a lot to me since I met my wife, all the members, [and] my daughter [Eden] was born in Hoag Hospital,” Toledo added. “I mean, it doesn’t get better than that.

“A lot of pressure, but I’ve been there before, so I’ve just got to go out there and just play well.”

Quinn will look to keep the field at bay. In his 60th start, he now holds the lead entering the final round for the first time in his PGA Tour Champions career. The 53-year-old Massachusetts resident never won a PGA Tour event. He has four career victories on the Web.com Tour.

Although he has not found himself in a winning position often, Quinn, who was the co-leader along with Scott McCarron after the first round, seemed unperturbed by some of the bigger scores that were thrown up around the course. His demeanor was steady, just like his putter has been throughout the tournament. He is tied for the fewest putts per round with an average of 26.

At 11 under for the tournament, Quinn has a three-shot lead over David McKenzie and David Toms. On the verge of a breakthrough victory, many might lose sleep, but Quinn doesn’t believe he will be among them.

“I’ll sleep fine,” Quinn said. “I always do. Coffee can’t keep me up.”

Low scores were a theme on the back nine. Jeff Maggert (-3, T19) and Scott Verplank (-5, T9) both shot six under on the back nine after starting their rounds on the tee at No. 10, flipping the script from their over-par performances on Friday.

Eagles on No. 10 and No. 15 helped Maggert score an eight-under 63, the lowest round to par of the tournament.

“Holing it from the fairway, it’s all luck,” Maggert said of his eagle to begin the day. “It’s all luck, but it’s nice to start your round off that way, especially the way I finished yesterday.

“After five-putting the 18th green, I wasn’t in too great of a mood.”

Toms started from the first tee, but he also played the back nine well. He had five birdies and no bogeys during that stretch, recovering from a front nine that saw him come away with one birdie and two bogeys.

“I knew I had some birdie holes on the back,” said Toms, who came into the tournament in third place in the Charles Schwab Cup standings. “I made a couple of long putts and that kind of got me going, and then I obviously finished well.”

Toms has seven birdies and an eagle on the back nine through Saturday, which should give him confidence that he can stay in the running if he gets off to a good start on Sunday. He will be in the final group with Quinn and McKenzie.

The largest comeback victory to occur at the Hoag Classic has been from five shots back – Hale Irwin (1998) and Jose Maria Canizares (2001).

Kirk Triplett, Austin Woody and Toledo are tied for fourth at seven under. Steve Flesch and McCarron are both within striking distance at six under.

andrew.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner