Doyle leads by one from Pate

Jerry Pate played himself into position to end a 22-year winless streak.

Pate matched the course record with a 7-under 65 Saturday, and moved within a stroke of leader Allen Doyle heading into the final round of the Bayer Advantage Celebrity Pro-Am.

Pate, a Champions Tour rookie and winless since the 1982 Players Championship, made birdies on Nos. 5, 7 and 9, his last holes, to get to 12 under.

"I know I have birdies in the bag," said Pate, an eight-time PGA Tour winner whose career has been slowed by shoulder injuries. "I just have to keep playing and not think about anything but the next shot.

"I'm going to be playing with the leader tomorrow and that's all that matters. I'm just happy to be where I am."

Pate was expected to make his Champions Tour debut last September, but it was delayed by July surgery on the same shoulder that was operated on in 1987.

"I've worked very hard since my last shoulder surgery last June. I feel blessed; it could have gone the other way," he said.

Doyle made four birdies on the front nine and three on the back in a 6-under 66 to move to 13 under. He is in position for his first Champions Tour victory of the season and his first since winning the Bank of America Championship in August.

Doyle had a bogey-free round until the 17th, but got the stroke back with a birdie at No. 18 for a one-shot lead.

He expects a stiff challenge from Pate in the final round.

"I'm good to go," Doyle said. "I'm not a scaredy cat. I have the greatest respect for Jerry. Everyone expects him to win out here and he will soon. He still has to pass me. I'll be trying to win out here, the same as he will."

Andy Bean (70), Mark James (69), Bob Gilder (68) and David Eger (68) were four shots back.

Bean, who had a share of the lead after the first round, got to 10 under after a birdie on No. 1, his 10th hole, but made bogey on No. 3 and slipped back to 9 under. He made six straight pars to complete the round.

Gilder made birdie on five of his first six holes, but made bogey at No. 7. He had three bogeys, three birdies and three pars on the back nine.

James, one stroke off the lead after the first round, shot a 3-under 69.

Bruce Summerhays also had a second-round 65 and was six strokes back at 137

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