Objects closer than they appear
Levin watches Woods with one- shot lead heading into Sunday
DUBLIN, Ohio — Spencer Levin realizes that a oneshot lead going into the final round means next to nothing. If he didn’t learn this by blowing a six-shot lead at the Phoenix Open earlier this year, he was reminded of it on the back nine Saturday at the Memorial.
For the longest time, Levin simply couldn’t miss. He chipped in for eagle from behind the fifth green. He holed a chip from 30 yards short of the 10th green for birdie, this one giving him a four-shot lead on a tough day at Muirfield Village.
Eight holes later, his lead was down to one over Rory Sabbatini. If that wasn’t enough, a collection of stars and proven players were lined up behind him — including four-time Memorial champion Tiger Woods.
Levin relied on a few good breaks and one good par save to match the low round of the day with a 3-under 69, giving him another chance at his first PGA Tour victory and an opportunity to get into the U.S. Open on Sunday without having to go through a 36-hole qualifier.
The circumstances are far different from when Levin lost that six-shot lead in Phoenix, not only the margin but the calibre of players chasing him. He’ll find out Sunday if he learned from his failure, though the selfstyled Californian already is loaded with perspective.
“I did learn that I still got to play golf, I still got to eat the same stuff, still have the same friends, still have the same family, so nothing really changed,” he said.
Levin, who had one of only three rounds in the 60s, was at 8-under 208 and will play in the final group with Sabbatini, a six-time PGA Tour winner who shot 71.
The attention figures to be on the twosome in front of them — Rickie Fowler (69), the Quail Hollow winner who has been playing his best golf over the last month, and Woods, whose other win this year came in demanding conditions at Bay Hill. Woods bogeyed two of the last three holes for a 73.
Right behind them were Ryo Ishikawa (71), Henrik Stenson (71) and Jonathan Byrd (72), with Vijay Singh (69) on the outskirts of contention, six shots behind.
David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot a 70 on Saturday. He is tied for 15th place.
Lewis ties record
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Stacy Lewis didn’t even glance at the leaderboard on Saturday in the second round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic. She knew better, a lesson well learned from her first LPGA victory this season.
The former University of Arkansas standout holds a commanding six-stroke lead in the event at the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club, after tying a tournament 36-hole record with a second-round 65 to maintain the lead entering Sunday’s final round.
Lewis’ two-day total of 130 puts her six strokes ahead of Anna Nordqvist, who shot a second-round 67, and gives Lewis a seven-stroke edge over the third-place foursome of So Yoen Ryu, Azahara Munoz, Katherine Hull and Paula Creamer.
Haas out in front
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – Jay Haas knows what it’s like to take the biggest lead in Principal Charity Classic history into the final round.
Haas handled the pressure of an equally large cushion five years ago, so the odds for an unprecedented third Champions Tour title in Iowa are certainly in his favour.
Haas will carry a threeshot lead into the final round after shooting a bogey-free 6-under 65 on Saturday.