Impressive Birdie Vaults Pampling to 4-Shot Lead
Rod Pampling's birdie on the final hole gives him a 5-under- 67, increasing his lead to four shots and giving him plenty of momentum for the final round. Tiger Woods is 10 shots back.
(Charles W Luzier - Reuters)
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Saturday, March 18, 2006; 8:19 PM
ORLANDO, Fla. - Rod Pampling had a big lead that he didn't want to give away in the Bay Hill Invitational.
Standing in the first cut of rough on the 18th fairway, he picked out a line left of the flag to avoid the water and fired away with his 4-iron from 192 yards.
"All I was really looking for was par," Pampling said.
To his surprise, the ball started farther out to the right toward the water, bending gently toward the flag and keeping the gallery in suspense until it cleared the lake by a couple of yards and stopped 3 feet away from the hole. The birdie gave him a 5-under 67, increased his lead to four shots and gave him plenty of momentum for the final round.
"I felt pressure coming to the last hole," Pampling said. "To get up there and hit that golf shot, it was a great boost of confidence. I know I can hit the shots. Tomorrow, I can rely on that and have confidence in myself."
Those few yards were all the difference between a tight leaderboard and a big cushion. A ball in the water could have led to a double bogey. Instead, the birdie put Pampling at 14-under 202, giving him a four-shot lead over Lucas Glover (72), Greg Owen (67) and Darren Clarke, who tied three tournament records on his way to a 63.
Clarke emerging as one of the challengers was a pleasant surprise.
Golf is no longer a priority for 37-year-old from Northern Ireland, whose wife is losing a long battle with cancer. He plays when he can, which has not been much this year, and never knows what to expect.
Toward the bottom of the pack when he began the third round, Clarke tied tournament records for six straight birdies, a 30 on the back nine and his 9-under 63, which matched the best score at Bay Hill since it converted to a par 72 in 1989. Where he goes from there is of little concern.
His wife, Heather, was first diagnosed with breast cancer, and it has spread throughout her body. She was thought to be near death last May, but continues to fight.
"She's having a pretty tough battle at the minute," Clarke said. "She had a couple of weeks of very intensive treatment two weeks ago for another situation, so she's had a very tough time. But she's battling hard."
She wants him to play instead of sitting around the house, but it has taken its toll.
