Steady Grady Shoots Par for 2-Stroke Lead

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After each of his 73 shots Saturday, Fred Couples was subjected to primal scream therapy from a gallery member who, for reasons unknown, kept yelling, “You’re the man!”

But the heckler had the wrong golfer. Wayne Grady, Couples’ playing partner during Saturday’s third round of the 1990 PGA Championship, should have been the object of attention.

Grady’s even-par 72 didn’t cause Shoal Creek audiences to swoon, but it did keep him atop a leaderboard that features fewer contenders each day. Considering the dastardly rough that surrounds the fairways and unpredictable greens, it was a score to be admired.

“And I think that if I get it under par (today), it will be hard to beat,” Grady said.

The 211 total puts Grady at five under par for the tournament and gives him a two-stroke advantage over Couples and Payne Stewart, the defending PGA champion. Stewart recorded a two-under-par 70, and Couples escaped with that shaky round of one over par.

Other challengers were as difficult to find at Shoal Creek as Bermuda rough mowers.

Gil Morgan, who hasn’t played tournament golf in five weeks, started the third round at five over and finished it at two under, thanks to a remarkable 65, the lowest round of the week. Morgan is tied at 214 with Loren Roberts, who shot 70 Saturday.

“That’s like shooting a 60 anywhere else,” Couples said of Morgan’s performance.

Larry Mize and Billy Mayfair are at 216, but their rounds were filled with what-ifs. Mize took a triple-bogey on No. 18, which sent his score soaring to 76. Mayfair didn’t do much better; he shot a 75.

Shoal Creek wasn’t picky Saturday. It disposed of stars and club pros alike. For every Grady, Stewart or Morgan who negotiated the tight course with care, there were dozens who found trouble at every turn.

For instance, you can forget about Nick Faldo’s bid to become the first player since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three major championships in a year. Faldo stumbled around the course in 80 strokes.

“I came on strong,” he said facetiously. “It’s amazing I didn’t shoot worse than 80. I played the last six holes at level par--pretty amazing.”

And Greg Norman fans can dismiss any thoughts of a traditional Sunday charge. After his round of 76, the Great White Shark was at 222 and in no mood for fairy tales.

“What am I, 11 back?” he said. “Yeah, I’m out of it.”

The PGA Championship has become a tournament of attrition. If you stay out of harm’s way, which is to say, you never hit a shot in the rough, the title is there for the taking.

Of course, Grady knows all about tournaments being there to be won. He led last year’s British Open after the second and third rounds, but faltered in a playoff. This time is different, he said. New course, new circumstances.

“I think it’s a little more difficult than last year at the British Open because of the premium on driving,” the Australian said. “If I have a good driving day (today), it will be a different story (than in 1989).”

Stewart, paired with Grady for the final round, much prefers a repeat of history. He has an opportunity to become the first repeat PGA champion since the tournament went to stroke play in 1958.

If Stewart is nervous, he’s not showing it. He cracked jokes after his round. He discussed his plus-fours wardrobe. He continued his daily verbal assault against the Shoal Creek set-up.

But he also suggested that the weight of a major championship can break a player, even Grady.

“There’s just going to be a lot of pressure on the guy tomorrow,” he said. “Wayne’s a great player. But if I’m playing with him, he’s got to watch me. If I do well, he’s got to watch me.”

Added Stewart: “The other players that haven’t won (a PGA) can say it’s another tournament. That’s the approach I used to have, but I was kidding myself.”

Stewart doesn’t suffer from a lack of confidence. He acknowledged that Shoal Creek could do to him today what it did to Faldo and Norman Saturday. “I could go out there and shoot 80 . . . but I bet you I don’t.”

Grady wasn’t buying any of this. When told of Stewart’s remarks, Grady smiled.

“Obviously, he’s (won) it and he knows what he has to do,” Grady said. “But again, if he hits it in the rough a few times, his (PGA title) won’t be any advantage.”

PGA Notes

How good was Gil Morgan’s round of 65? He took only 29 putts and missed only two fairways. On the two he missed, Morgan’s ball landed in fairway bunkers. He birdied both of those holes. He also missed only one green in regulation. So, of course, he chipped in for another birdie. In all, eight birdies and only one bogey. “It just happened,” he said. “I felt I played about as well as I could play the last two days. My goal was to get to even par. I felt like that if I got to even par, I had a chance.” . . . Payne Stewart is two strokes off the lead. He was six shots back heading into the final round of last year’s PGA Championship at Kemper Lakes. . . . Despite his disastrous triple bogey on No. 18 Saturday, Larry Mize, five shots behind Wayne Grady, isn’t ruling out his chances. “If you shoot 67, 68, you never know,” he said. . . . And how bad was Fred Couples’ round of 73? Here’s his description of a par-saving putt on the 18th hole: “At that time, I didn’t care if I missed it or made it. I just wanted to get out of there.” By the way, when Grady left the interview room after Saturday’s round, he motioned to Couples, who was sitting nearby. “Hey, Fred, you’re the man!”

PGA LEADERS Player: Score

Wayne Grady: 72-67-72--211

Payne Stewart: 71-72-70--213

Fred Couples: 69-71-73--213

Loren Roberts: 73-71-70--214

Gil Morgan: 77-72-65--214

Larry Mize: 72-68-76--216

Billy Mayfair: 70-71-75--216

Steve Pate: 71-75-71--217

Bill Britton: 72-74-72--218