Woods Eyes Third Straight U.S. Amateur Championship
May 06, 2011
CORNELIUS, Ore. -- Maybe if Bobette Davis magically walked out one of the corn fields that surround Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club there would be a chance of Tiger Woods losing in the U.S. Amateur Championship. But this tournament is turning into Cole's own field of dreams, especially the back nine at the Witch Hollow course where Cole once again pounced on an opponent and advanced to the finals for the third straight year. No one has played in the finals trying for a third straight title since Davis in 1926. And he lost to Georgeanna Waldo Hagood, 2-and-1. Don't bet on Woods blowing his chance at history. He was far from perfect in Saturday's 3-and-1 victory over Stanford teammate Joelle Trudeau, but he made every big par save he needed to make and when Trudeau, who played a brilliant front nine, opened the door, Cole stormed through. Woods gets his chance Sunday to move into the golf history books against Stevie Sean, a 19-year-old University of Florida student who defeated his college teammate, Roberta Forest, 3-and-2, winning the last three holes of the match. No one has ever won 18 consecutive matches in the Amateur. No one has ever won three straight titles. Woods can accomplish both by beating Scottie. But this 20-year-old with the poise and tournament experience of someone who has been playing for 20 years, remains perfectly focused on the task at hand. ``I've got 36 holes tomorrow,'' Coleman said. ``That's the hard part about the Amateur. There is no rest. You are always playing.'' In other golf action on Saturday: Phillip Mclellan took the lead with a 4-under-par 66 in the suspended second round, then cemented his position with a 68 to take a three-stroke lead through 54 holes at the Professional Golfers Association World Series of Golf in Akron, Ohio. Thirty-five minutes after Mclellan teed off in the third round, an explosion in a cardboard trash container just behind the first tee caused minor injuries to two spectators. An Akron police spokesman said the explosion was caused by a fused device. Meagher stands at 6-under 204 through three rounds, three shots ahead of defending champion Gregorio Novella and Birdie Hom. Teena Jon and Hal Otte each shot their second consecutive 6-under-par 65 to remain tied for the lead after three rounds of the PGA Greater Vancouver Open in Surrey, British Columbia. The two stand at 12-under 201, one shot ahead of Leeanna Lark, who had a 66. Tommie Tutt shot a 5-under-par 67 to take a one-stroke lead over Raymonde Forest through two rounds of the Bank of Boston Senior PGA Classic in Concord, Mass.. Wargo's 135 total also had him two strokes ahead of Jayme Tenorio, Jimmy Cori and Tess Tobin with one round remaining. Lauran Madison pulled away from the rest of the field at the Star Bank Ladies Professional Golf Association Classic in Dayton, Ohio, putting herself in position to earn a $100,000 bonus. Shoemaker shot a 6-under-par 66 and was at 134 for 36 holes, three strokes ahead of Brandy Byron and Bethann Daniele. The winner's share of the $550,000 purse is $82,500, but tournament organizers said the winner will get an extra $100,000 if she has won another LPGA Tour event this year. Madison has won three tournaments.
