Shell Houston Open
TPC at The Woodlands
Houston, Texas
30th April - 3rd May 1998

Par 72 Prize Money $2.0 million

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Maggert, Forsman share three-stroke lead

Associated Press

The Woodlands, Houston, Texas, 2nd May 1998 - Jeff Maggert has been here before. Now he's looking to deliver.

Maggert, who has led the Shell Houston Open twice going into the final round and with a career history of runner-up finishes, humbled his home course today with a flawless 8-under-par 64.

That pulled him even with steady Dan Forsman, and they share a three-stroke lead after three rounds at 10-under 206.

"I'm just trying to win a golf tournament somewhere, somehow,'' said Maggert, who has 11 second-place finishes in his seven years on the tour, including a second this year at Bay Hill in March. He has won only once, in 1993 at the Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic.

"It's been almost five years since I won my first one and it's been frustrating,'' he said.

Forsman, tied with Lee Janzen at 6-under after 36 holes, had a 68 on the Tournament Players Course at The Woodlands.

"I would love nothing more than to win here,'' said Forsman, seeking his first victory in six years. "It's been quite a while. But regardless of the outcome, this week has been a huge bonus.''

Janzen, who had a 71 today, was a stroke ahead of Fred Couples, who finished with a 70.

Mike Hulbert, Franklin Langham and Stephen Ames were at 211 with Hal Sutton and David Duval among a group of golfers another shot back.

Maggert, who lives nearby, grew up in the neighborhood and figures he has played this course hundreds of times, led here after three rounds in 1991 and 1996 but failed to hold it on Sunday. In 1991, he soared to an 80 on the final day. Two years ago, he lost in a playoff to Mark Brooks.

"If you play well, and somebody beats you, there's nothing you can do about it,'' Maggert said. "But if you've got a tournament won and where you feel like you give some away, those are the ones that bother you the most.

"I just want to start winning some golf tournaments.''

Maggert started the day at 2-under, four shots behind Forsman and Janzen.

Maggert started with a birdie at the par-5 first hole, strung consecutive birdies on Nos. 4, 5 and 6, and added another trio on 9, 10 and 11. He followed them with three consecutive pars, missing birdies by inches on each hole, then birdied the par-3 16th with an 18-foot putt.

His birdie attempt at No. 17 was short by a couple of inches, and he finished 18 with a par for the best round of the tournament.

Forsman had six straight pars before back-to-back birdies on Nos. 7 and 8. A 6-foot putt at No. 11 gave him another birdie and pulled him into a tie with Maggert at 9-under.

A birdie attempt at the par-4 12th slid just past the hole, but Forsman converted at No. 13 to go 10-under before his tee shot on the par-3 14th landed in a bunker. A potential par-saving putt at 14 rimmed off the cup, dropping him out of a share of the lead before he recovered with a 4-foot birdie putt at No. 16 to tie Maggert.

Janzen slipped back early with a double bogey on the par-3 third hole and added another bogey at No. 7 en route to a 2-over 38 on the front. But he bounced back with a sharp 3-under 33 on the back nine.

Couples and Duval, both idle since The Masters -- where they tied for second -- got to 6-under and close to the lead before finding trouble on the back nine.

Couples went into the water at No. 14, and wound up with a double bogey.

Duval, the tour's second-leading money winner, began the round one shot off the pace but could get nothing going. After a birdie at No. 13 moved him to 6-under, his tee shot at the 14th hole also hit the water. He settled for a double bogey and wound up with a 73.