Three tied on top of leaderboard

The Buick Invitational didn't lose all its luster just because two-time defending champion Phil Mickelson missed the cut and Tiger Woods was knocked down the leaderboard by a miserable second round.

Jerry Kelly is in position for his second win of the season -- and career. John Daly is lurking right behind, looking for his first PGA Tour victory since the 1995 British Open.

Mark O'Meara, tied for the lead going into Sunday's final round with Kelly and J.L Lewis at 10-under 206, is looking for his first title since 1998, when he won the Masters and British Open.

Kelly shot a 6-under-par 66 on Saturday, the lowest score of the week on Torrey Pines' South Course, which is longer and more difficult after an extensive renovation. And it came on a day when warm Santa Ana winds off the desert made it a bit tougher.

As an extra sideshow, a brush fire broke out not far from Torrey Pines, drawing stares from golfers and dropping a light dusting of ash on the 16th and 17th holes, which didn't affect play.

O'Meara, the 1997 Buick winner, shot a 70 and Lewis had a 71 to join Kelly in the lead.

Daly shot a 68 to top group of five at 207, one stroke behind. Daly is trying for his first top-three finish since his British Open win nearly seven years ago.

Daly looks relaxed on the course. He's cut back on his drinking and is off anti-depressant medication, although he still smokes a cigarette per hole.

Daly tied for fourth two weeks ago at the Phoenix Open and is playing for the fourth straight week, including the Heineken Classic last week in Australia. He won the European tour's BMW International Open last year in Germany.

``I'm hungry,'' Daly said. ``I'm just not going to force it. Hopefully it will just happen. The way I'm thinking and the way I'm able to focus on my game and each shot, I think it will get me through it. But hit it real well or not, I think that's been the biggest change.''

Also tied at 9 under were K.J. Choi (69); Rory Sabbatini (71); Jay Williamson (70) and Kent Jones (72).

Williamson made a hole-in-one with a 7-iron on the par-3, 196-yard third. Choi shot his third straight 69.

Woods rallied for a 69 a day after nearly missing the cut with a 77, but was still six strokes back at 212.

O'Meara played the South front nine in 5 under in Thursday's opening round, the kind of start Woods would like to have on Sunday.

``Then at least I'll give myself a chance on the back nine and try and get it going,'' Woods said.

Kelly, who earned his first tour victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii in mid-January, came from five strokes off the second-round lead, which Lewis shared with Kent Jones.

A former high school hockey player who sometimes lets his aggressiveness get the best of him, Kelly chose to lay up on the par-5, 571-yard 18th, a move that paid off with a birdie.

Kelly's drive left him 261 yards from the pin, and he had to decide between using a new 3-wood, which he hasn't used in competition, and his 4-iron. He chose the iron, laid up to 81 feet and pitched on for a 5-foot birdie putt.

``I'm not one of the longer hitters and I had a decision to make. I wimped out, but it's a good thing I did,'' Kelly said. ``That was probably my best shot of the week so far.''

His only bogey came when he two-putted the par-4 17th.

O'Meara got his only bogey out of the way early, on the par-4, 444-yard first hole. He had a great drive, but flamed a 9-iron shot into a bunker. He blasted out to 12 feet and missed the putt.

``So that wasn't exactly the way you want to start off the day after such a good drive,'' he said. ``But I tried not to let it bother me.''

Two of his three birdies were on par-5s, the 530-yard sixth and the 18th. He also laid up on the closing hole, with a 5-iron, then hit a sand wedge to 8 feet for birdie.

O'Meara said he's battled a sore neck the last 2 1/2 weeks but is feeling better. He's also driving well with a new Titleist driver.

``The last few years I haven't played as well on the West Coast, haven't played as much on the West Coast, so tomorrow would be a big start for me to goout there and play well and see what happens,'' he said.

Divots

Saying he's been sick for almost two weeks, Woods withdrew from the tour's next stop, the Nissan Open at Riviera in Los Angeles. ``I just want to go home and get some rest,'' said Woods, who will be back in San Diego County for the World Match Play Championship at La Costa in two weeks. ... Jay DonBlake eagled 18, one of the few players who chose to go for it.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page