Even at Par, It’s Still Els Leading the Field

Ernie Els came back from a brief weather delay at Warwick Hills Country Club and struggled to an even-par 72 on Saturday, but that was good enough for a three-stroke lead at 13-under 203 heading into the final round of the Buick Open at Grand Blanc, Mich.

Curtis Strange, who has not won in this country since the 1989 U.S. Open, Larry Mize and Brad Fabel were tied for second at 206.

Els, who could do no wrong while building a four-stroke lead during the second round, struggled in the third. He took a big step backward with a double bogey at the par-four second hole.

“I was annoyed,” Els said. “I just dropped straight back to the field. Believe me, you can’t get a lot more mad than I was at myself going to the third tee. . . .

“It’s still my tournament to win or lose. I’ve got to play better than this. That’s the bottom line.”

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The worst fears of the Walker Cup team from Great Britain and Ireland were realized when the U.S. team swept the morning alternate-shot matches and won four of the eight singles matches for an 8 1/2-3 1/2 lead.

All during the week of practice at Quaker Ridge Golf Club at Scarsdale, N.Y., the visitors had talked about the need to get off to a fast start.

As it is, the U.S. needs only four of the 12 points up for grabs today to reclaim the amateur team prize it lost in Wales two years ago, 14-10.

There was a moment of concern for the Americans when they lost the first two matches of the afternoon. But victories in three of the final four matches crushed any effort to reverse momentum.

The first three alternate-shot matches were over almost before they started, and none of them went past the 15th hole.

“We just made such a mess out of it this morning,” said 17-year-old Justin Rose, the GBI player who is the youngest in Walker Cup history.

Said Jason Gore, who led Pepperdine to an NCAA championship this year and won his afternoon match against Graham Rankin, 3 and 2: “My hands are still shaking. It’s amazing to play for your country.”

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Dana Quigley and Walter Hall, who had to qualify to make the field, joined Spain’s Jose-Maria Canizares, who’s playing on a sponsor’s exemption, atop the leaderboard after two rounds of the $1-million Northville Long Island Classic at Jericho, N.Y.

Quigley shot a 67 and Hall a 68 to complete 36 holes at 10-under 134. Canizares, who shot a course-record 64 on Friday, had a 70.

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Nancy Harvey, yet to win on the LPGA Tour, shot a three-under 69 to claim a share of the third-round lead of the Friendly’s Classic at Agawam, Mass. Harvey, Deb Richard and Chris Johnson were all at six-under 210.

Hall of Famer Betsy King had a 69, one of only half a dozen sub-70 scores on the day, and was a stroke off the lead.

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Silvia Cavalleri, 24, became the first Italian native to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur, denying Robin Burke in her bid to join her husband as a major championship winner.

Cavalleri was 5-up after the first 18 holes of match play at Brae Burn Country Club in West Newton, Mass., and won the 36-hole final, 5 and 4.

Burke, 34, wasn’t born when her husband, Jack, now 74, won the PGA and Masters championships in 1956.