Burns & Estes take over lead

Greg Norman lost the Kemper Open lead to someone who once hurt himself sneezing.

In other words, the tournament is promising another wacky storybook finish. The drama of Norman trying to win his first PGA Tour event in five years will be pitted against the journeyman tales of Bob Burns, Jay Williamson, Bob May and others in Sunday's final round.

``I hope it goes true for one of us that's trying to break through,'' said May, best known for losing a playoff to Tiger Woods in the 2000 PGA Championship. ``Nothing against Greg Norman or Bob Estes or some of the other guys, but it's nice to see someone break through and win their first tournament.''

Norman was ahead by two strokes after the second round, but he struggled on almost every hole Saturday and shot a 3-over 74. The 47-year-old Australian is three shots behind Estes and Burns, who shot 69s to lead a jumbled leaderboard at 10-under 203 on a day when fast greens and a swirling breeze allowed no one to take control.

``It was a really strange day,'' Norman said. ``Nothing really happened. Hopefully, I've got my bad round out of me, and I'll be back in the 60s tomorrow.''

May shot a 69 and is tied at 9 under with Jay Williamson (67), who is probably best known for leading the Kemper after three rounds six years ago before nerves got the best of him.

``In '96, I wasn't quite ready to be out here,'' Williamson said. ``I didn't have the experience. But I've had five or six years now to kind of propel me tomorrow.''

Rich Beem, the 1999 Kemper winner, was 8 under along with Franklin Langham, Duffy Waldorf and Andrew Magee.

Looking for the usual suspects? Justin Leonard (67), Kirk Triplett (68) and Steve Elkington (69) are tied with Norman at 7 under.

But Burns, the sneeze victim, is the type of winner the Kemper is used to having. He couldn't even remember the only other time he's lead a tour event -- first round at the 1999 Doral-Ryder Open -- and he named a laundry list of personal and physical problems -- tendon injuries, a stress fracture, a ``bad first marriage'' -- that he's had to overcome to remain a fringe player in the game.

But nothing beats the sneeze incident of 1995.

``I was watching TV with my head up on a pillow and the headboard and just sneezed in that position -- and it popped the rib out of my spine,'' Burns said. ``It was not a pleasurable experience.''

Burns needed electrical stimulation and a long rehab before he could twist his torso again. In 1997, he was reduced to playing what he called the ``barbecue circuit'' -- minor events mostly in California.

Asked why he never gave up, the 34-year-old player said: ``I've got nothing better to do. I haven't come up with anything that pays better. I'm not that good of a fisherman.''

Burns had four birdies and two bogeys, and his best shot was a tee shot within 2 feet of the pin at the par-3 ninth. He's fully aware that he could become the Kemper's fourth consecutive first-time tour winner.

``That's a great trivia question,'' said Burns, whose best finish on the money list was 101st in 1994. ``It's always the guy with the lowest score wins -- doesn't matter if he's had 25 victories or not. But, yeah, this is neat. Hopefully that trend continues.''

Compelling as his story might be, Burns was not the main attraction Saturday. Norman, the sentimental favorite because he was the only well known golfer among the leaders, attracted massive galleries who willed him on -- to little success.

Starting at 10 under, Norman put his first shot of the day in the left rough, and it was downhill from there. He missed a 2-foot par putt at No. 3 for his first bogey. He didn't hit a straight tee shot until No. 4, and his water shot came when he was trying to reach the green in two shots with a 5-iron at the par-5 sixth.

After taking a drop, Norman's ball almost landed in the creek again with the next shot. He then had to stand on the stone wall next to the creek to chip onto the green, where he two-putted from 5 feet for double bogey.

``The sixth hole took a lot of wind out of my sails,'' Norman said.

Estes had the lead to himself for a while, just as he did after a hot streak early Friday. He birdied No. 16 to go to 11 under, but hit into the greenside bunker at the par-3 17th and barely chipped onto the green and bogeyed the hole for the second consecutive day.

``I would think that I would be one of the favorites just based on my world ranking and past performance,'' said Estes, who is ranked No. 22. ``But that doesn't mean a whole lot.''

Especially at the Kemper.

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