CHASKA, Minn. – Justin Leonard welcomed the wind, figuring the tougher the conditions the better his chances were.
“My game and temperament is better suited to par being a good score, and for that to happen this weekend, I think the wind needs to pick up,” Leonard had said late Friday after the second round of the 84th PGA Championship at Hazeltine National.
Leonard smiled yesterday when a 30-mph wind made playing conditions as difficult as they’ve been all week. While nearly everyone else in the field struggled, the 30-year-old Texan flourished, shooting the only sub-70 round – a 3-under-par 69 – to take a three-shot lead into today’s final round.
If Leonard can match his performance of yesterday, he’ll capture his second major championship. The 1997 British Open champion was in full control of his emotions and his revamped swing yesterday, especially on the back nine, where he collected three of his four birdies.
Leonard will play in the final pairing today with upstart Rich Beem, who is at 6-under. Fred Funk is 5-under. Mark Calcavecchia and Tiger Woods are at 4-under, both losing strokes with bogeys on the 18th hole.
“I don’t think I can go out and just scoot it around,” Leonard said. “I need to go out and play some good golf. It takes that to win a major championship.”
Woods will look to apply some early heat. He has either led or owned a share of the lead after 54 holes in all eight of his major victories. This is a chance to win his first major coming from behind.
“It’s really no big secret,” Woods said. “I just need to go out there and play solid. I need to hit some good shots because this golf course is playing so hard right now.”
Woods doesn’t expect Leonard to give back too many shots.
“He’ll grind it out and he’ll get it up-and-down,” Woods said. “He’s a beautiful putter, and I think that’s one of the reasons why he’s up on top of that board.”
Leonard’s steady play and unflappable demeanor was in contrast to the play of Funk, Woods, Calcavecchia and Beem, who often seemed on the brink of disaster on a windy day that began with gallons of water being pumped off the course.
Once the rain-delayed second round was completed yesterday morning, the third round began with a four-way tie with Beem, Leonard, Funk and Calcavecchia at 6-under. Woods was two shots back at 4-under after a miraculous birdie on the 18th hole to close his second round.
It was Beem who took the early lead with a birdie on the first hole and he wasn’t caught until his playing partner, Leonard, birdied the par-10th to tie him at 7-under. Beem regained the lead on the par-5 11th when he made an eight-footer after reaching the edge of the green in two. But Beem bogeyed the par-4 14th and Leonard, who matched the course record with a 66 on Saturday, went ahead when he made birdie on the 15th hole to go 8-under.
Leonard went to 9-under on the 16th hole, where his approach shot landed a foot from the cup. He dodged a bogey on the par-3 17th by making a 5-footer to save par.
“I really set my round up off the tee and drove the ball well,” Leonard said. “I made some good decisions, which is always important.”
Light winds are in the forecast today, conditions that could produce lower scores and an exciting finish.
