Sunday, February 9, 2003

Love on brink of ending two-year winning drought



The Associated Press

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - Davis Love III shot a 5-under 67 on the tough Spyglass Hill course Saturday to take a two-stroke lead over Mike Weir, Tom Lehman and Rod Pampling into the final round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Two years ago, Love erased a seven-stroke Sunday deficit to win at Pebble Beach - but he hasn't won a tournament since. Injuries kept him off his once-dominant form, and he dealt with mental stress from five top-five finishes without a victory last season.

Love had a 10-under 206 total.

Six players held the lead for part of the third round, but Love's steady play at Spyglass - away from the celebrity-studded field crowding Pebble Beach Golf Links - allowed him to climb ahead. Weir matched Love's 67 with a brilliant front nine, while Lehman and Pampling shot 70s.

Royal Caribbean Classic

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. - Gil Morgan birdied the final three holes for a 4-under 68 and a one-stroke lead over Australia's Rodger Davis in the Royal Caribbean Classic.

Morgan, a 21-time winner on the Champions Tour, had a 6-under 138 total on the Crandon Park course. Davis shot a 70.

First-round leader Bobby Wadkins (74) was two strokes back along with Hubert Green (68), Tom Purtzer (69) and Canada's Dave Barr (70).

ANZ Championship

SYDNEY, Australia - England's Paul Casey won the ANZ Championship on Sunday, scoring six points for a four-point victory over Australians Stuart Appleby and Nick O'Hern.

The tournament, co-sanctioned by the European and Australian tour, was played under a modified Stableford scoring system.

Players received eight points for double eagle, five for eagle, two for birdie, zero for par, minus-one for bogey, and minus-three for double bogey or higher.

Casey had five birdies and four bogeys Sunday to finish with 45 points on the oceanside New South Wales course. Under normal stroke-play rules, Casey's closing 1-under 71 would have given him a two-stroke victory over Appleby and O'Hern at 17-under 271.