Armour Takes a Big Lead and Ties Scoring Record

Tommy Armour III tied the PGA Tour 54-hole scoring record Saturday and extended his lead to six strokes in the Texas Open at San Antonio.

Armour birdied the last three holes, including a 53-foot putt on 18, to cap a 63 that left him at 21-under 189 after three rounds.

The 189 after three rounds matched the PGA Tour record set by Mark Calcavecchia at the par-71 Phoenix Open in 2001.

“I never shot 21 under in a tournament before,” Armour said.

If Armour shoots a 66 in the final round, he will break the tour record of 256, also set by Calcavecchia at Phoenix two years ago.

Armour, who hasn’t made a bogey in the tournament, started the third round one stroke in front of Dan Forsman, who had a 70.

“Really, I’m just doing the things I’m doing,” said Armour, whose only tour win came in the 1990 Phoenix Open. “What can I say?”

Lee Trevino was the last golfer to go 72 holes without a bogey and win at the 1974 Greater New Orleans Open.

Duffy Waldorf, a two-time Texas Open champion, turned in a 62 to vault into second at 195, while Glen Hnatiuk (64), Bob Tway (67), Paul Goydos (68) and Forsman were all at 197.

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Larry Nelson’s six-foot birdie putt on the final hole gave him a one-shot lead after two rounds of the Greater Hickory Classic at Conover, N.C., on the Champions Tour.

Nelson, the first-round co-leader, finished with a 69 for a 36-hole total of 11-under 133 at the Rock Barn course. He was one stroke ahead of Joe Inman, who shot a tour career-low 63 with nine birdies, and Bob Gilder, who also shot a 69.

James Mason (69), Craig Stadler (69) and Stewart Ginn (67) were tied for fourth at 135.

Nelson’s up-and-down round included three birdies on the front nine as well as Nos. 12 and 18.

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Annika Sorenstam, Beth Daniel and Cristie Kerr were tied for the lead after two rounds of the LPGA Safeway Classic at Portland, Ore.

They were tied at nine-under 135 and held a two-stroke lead.

Daniel had to be the unhappiest of the three leaders as her one-over 73 was 11 strokes worse than her opening round.

Sorenstam had a second-round 67 and Kerr had a 69.

Everybody was fighting the wind by early afternoon, along with temperatures in the mid-90s and plenty of early fall debris on the greens, including dead leaves, pine cones and dried branches full of needles from the towering Douglas firs and other evergreens lining the fairways.

Soo-Yun Kang and Leta Lindley had 69s and were at 137, while Grace Park (72) was another stroke back.

Michelle Wie, the 13-year-old from Hawaii, shot a 72 and was at three under.

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James Oh is getting accustomed to seeing his name at the top of the leaderboard. The 21-year-old birdied the final hole in the third round of the Nationwide Tour’s Mark Christopher Charity Classic at Rancho Cucamonga and grabbed a one-shot lead over playing partner Jess Daley.

Oh, a Monday qualifier, posted a five-under 66 at the Empire Lakes Golf Club and moved to 16-under-par 197, matching the tournament’s 54-hole record. Daley shot a bogey-free 67 and stands at 15 under.

Chris Tidland (69) is alone in third, five shots back of Oh. Ryan Palmer (66), Daniel Chopra (67) and Brad Ott (69) share fourth place, six behind. Jeff Freeman turned in the day’s best round, a seven-under 64 to head the group at nine-under.

Oh was a co-leader after each of the first two days.