Marsh Is Open to Winning Elusive Title

After winning dozens of tournaments all over the world, Graham Marsh is in position to record his most prestigious victory of all--the elusive U.S. Senior Open.

“There’s no doubt that this is the premier event of world senior golf,” Marsh said Saturday, after a second consecutive three-under-par 67 gave him a two-stroke, 54-hole lead. “Winning it would be something special. [Today] is one of the biggest days in my golfing career.”

He has been close.

The Australian tied for second in the Open in 1994, his first year on the Senior PGA Tour, and followed with eighth- and fourth-place finishes the next two years.

Marsh, at four under, will be paired in today’s final round at Olympia Fields, Ill., with good friend John Bland, who shot 69 to go two under.

“John’s my mate; that’s important for an Australian,” Marsh said. “He’s got a great sense of humor. We joke and carry on. He’s also one of the most underrated players.”

Bland will try to become the second South African to win a major championship this month. Ernie Els won the U.S. Open two weeks ago.

“Graham is going to be very tough,” Bland said. “I have to shoot a low number [today], probably 66 or 65.”

Jose Maria Canizares of Spain shot a 66, the tournament’s low round.

After that: Marsh’s two 67s.

Another 67 at tough Olympia Fields Country Club probably would mean victory for Marsh, who is coming off a victory in last week’s tour event, the Nationwide Championship.

“I’m on a bit of a roll right now,” said Marsh, who finished third in the du Maurier Champions the previous week. “But this is the kind of course that can test your patience to the limit.”

Dave Eichelberger, the only other player under par, is three strokes back at one under.

Second-round leader Kermit Zarley had six bogeys, two double-bogeys and no birdies for a nightmarish 80, going from two under to eight over and falling out of contention.

Tom Wargo, who began the day tied with Marsh, Bland and Eichelberger at one under, shot a 73 and is six back. Wargo was penalized a stroke for starting, stopping and restarting his putting stroke on the 16th green. USGA officials made the ruling after watching television replays.

“I thought it was distasteful on their part,” Wargo said. “Let me explain my intention, and then make the ruling.”

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Annika Sorenstam bounced around the wind-dried Greate Bay course in 68 strokes and took a two-shot lead over Jane Geddes and Vickie Odegard into the final round of the Shoprite LPGA Classic at Somers Point, N.J.

Firing crisp iron shots at firm greens that refused to hold, Sorenstam made several good par-saving putts to complete 36 holes at nine-under 133. If she can protect that lead, it will be her fifth victory in 13 tournaments this year.

“I’m glad that I’m leading,” Sorenstam said. “It means that the others have to shoot better than you.”

Geddes, who hasn’t won on the LPGA Tour since 1994, could have had second place alone but bogeyed the last hole to fall into a tie with Odegard, a 32-year-old rookie who has been on the Futures Tour since 1989.

Kelli Kuehne, the 20-year-old, two-time U.S. Amateur champion who missed the cut in her LPGA debut two weeks ago, made it this week with a 143.

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Robert Damron started his third round with birdies on two of his first three holes for a two-stroke lead before rain again suspended play in the St. Jude Classic at Memphis, Tenn.

Damron, who didn’t play his second round until Saturday morning because of three rain delays Friday, shot a five-under 66 at the TPC at Southwind for an 11-under 131 total.

The rookie wasted little time expanding his midway one-stroke lead over Gene Sauers with the two birdies before play was suspended for the fifth time during the tournament.

Greg Norman, paired with Damron and Sauers, was four strokes back with Mike Hulbert.

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Bruce Zabriski started fast and ended strongly, carding a course-record seven-under 65 for a three-shot lead entering the final day of the 30th PGA Club Professional championship at Pinehurst, N.C.

Zabriski, of Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y., birdied four of his first eight holes to overtake Innisbrook (Fla.) Resort’s Jay Overton, who started the day with a four-shot lead.

The New York club pro then birdied three of his final four holes and is at 10-under 206, three ahead of Overton, who shot 72. Two of those birdies were on holes Nos. 16 and 18--the two toughest all week on Pinehurst’s No. 8 course.

The top 25 finishers qualify for the PGA Championship at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.