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O'Hair Extends Bay Hill Lead

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The Associated Press

Published: March 29, 2009

ORLANDO - Sean O'Hair survived a windy, rugged test Saturday at Bay Hill and wound up in the final group with Tiger Woods for the second straight year - with one big difference.

This time, the tournament is in his hands.

Despite three bogeys in the last four holes, O'Hair had a 1-over 71 and a five-shot lead against Woods going into the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"Sometimes, you have to hang on for dear life," O'Hair said. "Those three bogeys didn't reflect how I played."

Woods, the defending champion and a five-time winner at Bay Hill, was fortunate to be only five behind. He made bogey putts of 10 feet and 25 feet on the last three holes, the last one on No. 18 after Woods never found a shot that plugged into the bank of the lake.

O'Hair and Woods were part of a five-way tie after 54 holes last year, and Woods won with a 25-foot birdie on the last hole.

Woods, who had a 71, has never won at Bay Hill when trailing going into the last round. His largest comeback on the PGA Tour was five shots at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 2000.

It was a wild finish that matched the day at Bay Hill.

O'Hair had a six-shot lead with four holes to play when just like everyone else, he had to hang on for dear life. But at least he wound up in the best spot, at 7-under 203 and the largest 54-hole lead at Bay Hill since Woods led by five in 2003.

Woods had a flyer from the rough on the 16th hole that hit a cart path and went 50 yards right of the 16th green. His chip went over the green and nearly into the water, and he knocked in a 10-footer to escape with bogey.

From deep rough on the 18th, he again went at the green, and the ball disappeared into the shaggy bank framing the lake. After a search lasting five minutes, Woods returned to the fairway, then made his longest putt of the week to at least secure a spot in the final group.

That was the least of his worries.

"To be honest, I didn't want to end up with a double bogey," he said. "I finished over par, but I thought I played better than that."

Jason Gore, who received a sponsor's exemption from the tournament host, was poised to join Woods and O'Hair until a three-putt from 5 feet on the final hole for a double bogey, giving him a 74.

A prime example of the tough scoring conditions was former Masters champion Zach Johnson. He started the third round nine shots out of the lead, shot a 68 and will play in the final group with O'Hair and Woods.

Because of rain in the forecast, the starting times today will be threesomes in the middle of the day. If the forecast for heavy overnight rain holds true, it could drastically change a Bay Hill course that has been firm, fast and tough all week.

LPGA: Jiyai Shin moved into position for her second LPGA Tour victory of the year and fifth in eight months, shooting a 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead after the third round of the J Golf Phoenix LPGA International.

The 20-year-old Shin - hailed as "The Final-Round Queen" in South Korea - had a 10-under 206 on the Papago Golf Course. After winning three LPGA Tour titles last year, including the Women's British Open, she won the HSBC Women's Champions this month in Singapore for her first victory as a tour member.

Im-Kyung Kim, another South Korean, who led after the first two rounds, still was in front by two strokes after 10 holes in the third round, but a bogey at 11 and a double bogey at 12 led to a 71 and dropped her into a second-place tie with Karrie Webb (69) at 9 under. Suzann Pettersen (70) was 8 under.

CHAMPIONS: Mark O'Meara roared into position for his first win on the seniors tour, matching the Cap Cana Championship scoring record with a 7-under 65 in the second round.

Eduardo Romero and Keith Fergus joined O'Meara atop the leaderboard at 8-under 136, with five others two strokes back, including former PGA Tour winners Joey Sindelar and Tim Simpson. Both are also seeking their first wins on the Champions Tour.

PGA EUROPEAN: At Seville, Spain, Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen shot a course-record 10-under 62 to take a one-shot lead after three rounds at the Andalucian Open.

He broke the Real Club de Golf de Sevilla course record by one shot. He entered the round five strokes behind and will enter the final day at 14-under 202.

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