Kite extends lead to two shots

If Tom Kite still wore glasses, there's no way he could have seen through the misty rain to a third-round lead at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Kite was as steady as the constant drizzle, shooting an even-par 72 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead over Jose Maria Canizares into the final round of the Champions Tour's $2.5 million season-ending event.

Kite, at 10-under 206 after leading in each of the first three rounds, could become the tournament's second straight wire-to-wire winner, following Jim Thorpe's victory last season.

Kite birdied the 18th hole for the third straight day, making a strong finish to a trying afternoon for every player at Sonoma Golf Club.

"Thank goodness it wasn't cold, but my goodness, it was just unrelenting," Kite said. "We never got the torrential downpour that would (cancel) the round, but it was just a brutal day."

The moderate rain began before the golfers took the course, and though the temperature never dropped excessively, nobody got comfortable -- and the rain never let up.

"This golf course is going to be saturated for the next two months," said Kite, who's won four tournaments in Northern California during more than three decades in pro golf.

The golfers were allowed to lift, clean and place their balls, but that didn't protect them from the thickets of waterlogged rough or the standing water on the fairways. The constant mist hampered every golfer's vision, but Kite -- who had laser surgery on his eyes -- thrived with steady, unambitious golf.

"I am so glad I wasn't wearing glasses today," Kite said. "Thank goodness for Lasik."

Canizares, who hasn't won on the Champions Tour in three years, shot a 2-under 70 to move into second place, while the three golfers who trailed Kite after the second round all fell back.

"I'm a professional. I play in good weather and bad weather," Canizares said. "For me, it isn't too bad. I like it when it's rainy -- not to play golf, though."

Hale Irwin, needing a strong finish to keep his narrow lead in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup competition, made three early bogeys and struggled to a 2-over 74 -- his first over-par score in 17 rounds.

But Irwin was in third place at 209, just three strokes behind Kite and in position for the $1 million annuity awarded to the Schwab Cup points winner.

If Irwin finishes lower than fifth place and Kite wins the tournament, Kite might be able to steal the Schwab Cup from Irwin as well. Kite is one of just four players with a mathematical chance at the award, along with Craig Stadler -- eight shots back in ninth place -- and Peter Jacobsen.

"I can try to take care of my play, (but) I can't worry about what Hale and Craig do," Kite said. "If it happens, it would be great."

Allen Doyle had the rainy day's best round, shooting 5 under to move into fourth place at 211, five strokes behind Kite. Mark McNulty also finished at 211 after a 4-under 68.

Mike Hill won the 54-hole Georgia-Pacific Grand Champions tournament, played within the regular event for the world's top over-60 golfers. The 66-year-old Hill was nearly as good in the rain as Doyle, making two early birdies and finishing strong for his third straight round of 69 to beat Raymond Floyd by five strokes.

"I thought I was going to retire, but after this, I may have to reconsider," Hill said. "My body is not good in the cold, so I thought if I could shoot even par, I'd be fortunate. You have to have a lot of patience in this weather, and I was able to."

Doyle was an unimpressive even par after two rounds, but he made two early birdies in the third round, then strung together four birdies in five holes on the back nine with an impressive short game.

"It was one of those days where you had to stay patient and keep your expectations real low," said Doyle, who finished in plenty of time to catch his beloved Red Sox in the World Series opener.

Dana Quigley, the Tour's other devoted Sox fan who was one stroke off the lead in the first two rounds, had three bogeys and a double bogey in a seven-hole stretch midway through his round. He finished with a 5-over 77, falling six strokes off Kite's pace.

Morris Hatalsky, also in second place after two rounds, also shot a 77. Bruce Summerhays was at 3 under, one stroke ahead of Stadler and David Eger.

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