GOLF SENIORS AT OJAI : Archer Stumbles, Doesn’t Fall

It’s only 6,190 yards long and looks easy. But the Ojai Valley Inn & Country Club course is tricky, according to George Archer.

After a day of tricks Saturday in the second round of the $500,000 GTE West Classic, Archer holds a one-shot lead over a tightly bunched field.

On a warm, perfect day for golf, Archer threatened to run away with the tournament. But he missed three short putts on the closing holes and finished with a two-under-par 68, a 36-hole total of 131 and a one-shot lead going into today’s final round. Archer had been at 11 under, with a three-shot lead.

Gary Player and surging Al Geiberger were at 132.

Arnold Palmer rallied for birdies on nine, 10 and 11 to close within two shots of the lead.

Just as suddenly, his putting touch, which had mysteriously returned after an absence of five years, disappeared again.

With a chance to go nine under, Palmer pulled a 12-foot birdie try on the 12th hole. He pulled putts on the next five holes, mostly from short range, and three of them were for pars. He finished with a par 70 to go with an opening 66 and is at 136, five strokes behind Archer.

Player, tied with Archer for the lead after an opening-round 63, struggled, too. He had a chance to tie but missed a six-foot try for a birdie on No. 18.

Player, who has won from seven shots behind going into the last round more than once, said anyone that close has a chance to win.

If he is right, there are 22 contenders in the final round.

Jack Kiefer, a non-winner who is recovering from kidney stone problems, is two shots behind at 133. Another shot back are Don Bies, Kermit Zarley and Walter Zembriski.

Defending champion Bruce Crampton, Isao Aoki and Tom Weiskopf are four behind. Palmer heads a group of four at 136.

Weiskopf, playing before the trampled greens became crusty, bumpy and marred by footprints, shot a five-under-par 65, which was matched by Geiberger.

“I’m quite satisfied with my play today,” Weiskopf said. “I knew I couldn’t make a mistake, and I didn’t. But it really isn’t up to me. I could repeat this round and still not win. I just can’t afford a mistake.”

Archer said the condition of the greens in the late stages was responsible for his missing two short putts.

Player said he could blame only himself, that he had made some poor shots.

“I three-putted from 12 feet on No. 8 and made some other bad shots,” he said. “If I had made that last putt, I would have had a 68 and that wouldn’t have been too bad.

“It’s going to be a horse race tomorrow. Everyone within seven shots has a chance, believe me.

“In 1978 at the Masters, I went into the final round seven shots back, shot a 64 and won. The next week, I was six back in the TPC, shot a 64 and won that. Then, at Houston, I shot a 64 to overcome a five-shot deficit to win a third in a row. Nobody on the tour has won three in a row since.

“You think this isn’t a funny game? The next week at New Orleans I went into the last round leading by a shot and blew it. But, I’d rather be leading than seven shots back. The law of averages, you know.”

Leaders

Player: Score

George Archer: 63-68--131

Al Geiberger: 67-65--132

Gary Player: 63-69--132

Jack Kiefer: 64-69--133

Don Bies: 68-66--134

Kermit Zarley: 67-67--134

Walter Zembriski: 64-70--134

Tom Weiskopf: 70-65--135

Isao Aoki: 68-67--135

Bruce Crampton: 67-68--135

Arnold Palmer: 66-70--136

Mike Joyce: 72-64--136

Harold Henning: 67-69--136

DeWitt Weaver: 65-71--136

Rives McBee: 68-69--137

Seven tied at 138