Leaders play beat the clock

Obremski, Howe lead the field after the third round

Dan Obremski Jr. and T. J. Howe are running away with the $ 200,000 Frank B. Fuhrer Invitational, but only in the figurative sense.

Their pace in the third round Tuesday at Pittsburgh Field Club was more like a crawl slow enough in the final twosome that tournament officials put them on the clock for the final 10 holes.

“I hate being on the clock,” said Obremski, a mini- tour player from North Huntington and a Penn-Trafford High School graduate. “Nobody wants to rush through their routine.”

Obremski did not let it bother him, at least, not right away. After being told on the ninth tee he and his playing partner were being timed, Obremski proceeded to birdie the 418- yard par- 4 hole, sneaking in a 22footer that began a run in which he birdied three of the next five holes.

That surge allowed Obremski to pass Howe, the second- round leader, and finish at 5-under 205 after 54 holes, good for a one-shot lead heading into today for the final round.

“It’s disruptive for everybody, but you learn to cope with it, you learn how to handle that challenge,” said Obremski, who shot 69 and is the only player in the 40- man field to post three consecutive sub- par rounds. “The only time I’m going to be slow is if I have to trade a club or the wind picks up. But it’s hard when you know you’re on the clock. That’s not good for the psyche.”

Obremski and Howe ( 206), a former Penn State player, are the only players under par after three rounds. The next- closest player is mini- tour professional Matt Schall (211) from Charlotte, N. C., who is six shots from the lead after a third- round 69. Former West Virginia University player and West Penn Amateur champion Easton Renwick, who turned professional last week, shot 71 and is alone in fourth at 212, seven shots back. He is glad to be within striking distance of the $ 40,000 first prize ... sort of.

“I held it together nice,” Renwick said. “It was one of those rounds that could have gotten away from you.”

Defending champ David Bradshaw ( 72), who has won the tournament three of the past five years, is another shot back at 213.

There was nothing slow about the way Obremski started the third round, making birdie at the 484yard opening hole from the trees in the right rough, then making a 6foot birdie at the 331-yard second. A year ago, Obremski was the 36-hole leader at 8 under, but shot 75 in the third round and admitted he got nervous, being in contention.

That wasn’t the case this time.

“That was huge,” Obremski said of the fast start.

In fact, Obremski really never got out of his routine until the final three holes. After he finished his birdie barrage with a 10footer at the short 332-yard 13th that pushed his lead to three shots, Howe quickly closed the gap by stuffing his tee shot at the 232-yard 14th to 2 feet for birdie.

By now, Obremski and Howe had closed the gap to the group in front of them to just one hole. And they were never penalized for slow play, just registering one bad time in the 10 holes they were on the clock ( three bad times are needed to incur a penalty).

Curiously, that’s when Obremski started giving a couple of shots away, making back-to-back bogeys at the par-3 16th and the 425yard 17th. Howe also bogeyed the 202-yard 16th, setting up what will be a twoman race for the final 18 holes. Figuratively speaking, of course.

“I’m sticking to my routine and being in every shot,” Obremski said.

“It’s disruptive for everybody, but you learn to cope with it, you learn how to handle that challenge.” Dan Obremski