Daly takes lead with final hole eagle

John Daly rolled in a 32-foot eagle putt at the 18th hole to take a one-shot lead over Stewart Cink after the third round of the $4.5 million Buick Invitational on Saturday.

Daly, 37, without a win on the PGA Tour since 1995, shot a four-under-par 68 at Torrey Pines South for a 13-under total of 203. Overnight leader Cink carded a 71 and was one stroke ahead of Dennis Paulson and three in front of Steve Flesch.

Sweden's Jesper Parnevik, Australia's Stephen Leaney, Tom Pernice Jr and Brandt Jobe shared fifth place on 208. Defending champion Tiger Woods recorded five bogeys and five birdies for a 72 and 211.

It has been nearly nine years since Daly's British Open playoff victory over Italian Costantino Rocca and almost 10 years since he won a PGA Tour event on U.S. soil at the 1994 BellSouth Classic.

The British Open has been regarded as a PGA Tour event since 1995.

"I wouldn't have played if I didn't think I could still get here," Daly told reporters of his belief that he could win again.

"It has been a long nine years, 10 years, but I keep playing because we're professionals and we play out here, we believe we can still get there."

Since 1995, Daly has won in Europe at the 2001 BMW International Open, in South Korea at the 2003 Kolon Open and last November at the Callaway Invitational non-PGA Tour event at Pebble Beach.

The last two wins gave Daly confidence and propelled him into his best string of made cuts since the start of 2002.

"Any time you win a professional tournament these days, you get confidence, and it carried over into this year a little bit," Daly said.

Daly has struggled with alcohol and gambling addictions, plus depression, as part of his everyday life. This week he has found a way to put all that aside and fashion a performance reminiscent of his early days on the tour.

Hitting most shots with a three-quarter swing, he is 10-under for the last two rounds on the South course, one of the most difficult layouts in the U.S..

"I've always loved the South course," Daly said. "It's a golf course where it doesn't matter if you're really a long hitter; you have to have a short game out here.

"The way the pins are tucked now, there hasn't been an easy pin placement in three days."

As Daly was making his eagle at the last hole, Cink was quietly happy he did not have the lead going into Sunday's final round.

In the six previous times Cink has led after 54 holes, he has never won, most recently at the FUNAI Classic last October when he finished second.

"I almost feel a little bit more at ease to come in one shot back than one shot ahead," Cink said. "I feel I can be more aggressive tomorrow for some reason."

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