Golf news

In Between Cigarette Breaks, Player Seeking First Win Takes Lead at Memorial

By KAREN CROUSE
Published: June 2, 2012
DUBLIN, Ohio — As soon as Spencer Levin struck the putt, he started walking, a sure sign he had misread the line. Levin played his first six holes on Saturday in four under par to take the third-round lead at the Memorial Tournament. But as his par putt rolled toward the hole on the par-3 eighth, Levin was certain he was staring at his second straight bogey. He believed it right up until the ball caught the edge of the hole, rimmed around and, much to his disbelief, dropped.

It was that kind of round for Levin, who also chipped in twice on his way to a three-under 69, which tied him for the day’s low score with Rickie Fowler and Vijay Singh. After 54 holes, Levin, who has
not won on the PGA Tour, is the leader at eight-under 208. One stroke back is Rory Sabbatini, who posted a third-round 71 in blustery conditions.

Fowler is third, at five under, one ahead of Tiger Woods, a four-time champion who made a run at Levin with a two-under 34 on the front nine, but stumbled home with four bogeys to finish with a 73. With a victory Sunday, Woods would tie the tournament host, Jack Nicklaus, with 73 tour titles.

“I certainly probably shot the highest score I could have shot today, considering the way I hit it,” said Woods, whose 18 putts on the back nine were four more than Levin. “But I’m only four back, and out here with the conditions, supposed to be like this tomorrow, anything can happen.”

Tell Levin about it. He was six strokes clear of the field going into the final round of the Waste Management Open in Scottsdale, Ariz., earlier this year, closed with a four-over 75 and finished third.

“With a six-shot lead, you’re almost thinking the only thing you can do is blow it,” said Levin, who was so nervous that day he smoked three packs of cigarettes.

On Saturday, he said he had 15 cigarettes. Asked if he minded getting caught on camera smoking, Levin laughed and said, “Yeah, well, it’s legal, and there’s a lot worse things you could be doing.”

Levin, whose father, Don, played on the PGA Tour in the 1980s, has not always behaved well on the golf course.

“I still get angry,” he said. “I just do a better job now of not making a scene as much. But inside my head and inside me, I can get not too happy about some things.”

He was upset after his final-round failure in Arizona, but it was not a total loss. Levin learned that when he is in the final pairing on a weekend, as he was Saturday, he has to stay in the moment, smile and have fun. His third round looked as if it was a good walk unspoiled as Levin traded jokes with his substitute caddie, John Turcott, a friend and fellow touring professional who has played on the Nationwide circuit and will compete in a United States Open sectional on Monday. Levin’s regular caddie, Mike Hicks, took the week off to attend his son’s high school graduation. It is Levin’s hope that on Sunday, he will graduate to the champion’s circle.

“This is what I’ve dreamed of is to be in the lead of a tournament, especially Jack’s tournament,” he said. “You couldn’t put yourself in a better position. All those years and all that work and practice is going to come down to tomorrow, and I’m just really fired up about it.”

RUNAWAY LEADER IN L.P.G.A. Stacy Lewis took a six-stroke lead over Anna Nordqvist at the ShopRite LPGA Classic in Galloway Township, N.J., after tying the tournament’s 36-hole record with a six-under-par 65 in the second round. Lewis is at 130. (AP)

HAAS SEEKS THIRD TITLE Jay Haas shot a bogey-free six-under-par 65 to take a three-stroke lead at the Principal Charity Classic in West Des Moines, Iowa. Haas, who is at 11-under 131, won this Champions Tour event in 2007 and ’08.

Larry Mize eagled the 18th hole and is in second. (AP)