Bay Hill Invitational
Bay Hill Club & Lodge
Orlando,
Florida
19th - 22nd March 1998

Par 72 Prize Money $2 million

Third Round Report

Third Round Scores
Second Round Report
Second Round Scores
First Round Report
First Round Scores

Els shoots third-round 65 to take six-stroke lead

Orlando, Florida, 22nd March 1998 - Ernie Els fired a third-round best 65 today to open a six-stroke lead at the rain-plagued $2 million Bay Hill Invitational at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge, as second-round co-leaders Davis Love III and Tiger Woods, who were paired with Els, fell back after shooting 75 and 73, respectively.

Heavy rain suspended play several times over the first two days of the tournament. Now that the third round has finished, the final round is under way and will be completed this afternoon.

Els compiled eight birdies, including seven on the first 10 holes, to finish 54 holes at 15-under-par 201 and take a commanding lead over Bob Estes, Steve Stricker, and Woods, who are all at 9-under 207. The two-time U.S. Open champion, who has shot below par in seven of his last nine rounds, entered the day two strokes behind Woods and Love.

Els started off with birdies on the first two holes to draw even with Love and Woods, then sandwiched a bogey on No. 5 with birdies on Nos. 4 and 6. At that point, he and Woods were tied at 11-under, one ahead of Love. Els took the outright lead on No. 7, where he birdied and Woods made bogey. Love then made bogey on No. 8 to drop to 9-under, and Els took a four-stroke lead over Love and Woods when he birdied No. 9 while Woods made bogey.

Woods, who has finished in the top 10 of every PGA Tour event he has entered this year but has yet to win, equaled his worst round of the year on tour with a 1-over 73, while Love's 75 was his worst score of year to drop into seventh place, eight strokes off the lead, at 7-under 209. Woods only made two birdies (on Nos. 4 and 16) against three bogeys (on Nos. 7, 9 and 15), while Love made just one birdie (on 16) against two bogeys (on 8 and 14) and a double bogey on 13.

Estes carded a 67 and Stricker posted a 68. Both Estes and Stricker are looking for their first top-three finish on the PGA Tour this year. Estes has made two top-10 finishes while Stricker has one.

Mark Calcavecchia and Lee Westwood each fired their second consecutive 3-under 69 and are tied for fifth at 8-under 208.

The Bay Hill Club and Lodge course measures 7,196 yards.

First prize is $360,000.