PARKER — Is it too late for the 71st Senior PGA Championship to get chiropractors as a presenting sponsor?
After three rounds at Colorado Golf Club, the leaderboard Saturday included a slew of 50-somethings with a history of cranky backs that threatened to lock up their golf games forever.
About the only cry that makes a golfer cringe more than “Fore!” is “My back!” Then again, Jay Don Blake, Taiwan’s Chien Soon Lu and, of course, Fred Couples all have their painful stories about chronic back problems.
Blake, 51, hasn’t made headlines since winning the 1991 PGA Tour event in San Diego, his only victory on that circuit. But the Utah native said he feels comfortable here and on the Champions Tour, and he enters today’s final round tied for the lead with 1996 British Open champion Tom Lehman at 6-under-par 210.
Couples, who stretches his back several times during the round, three-putted the last three feet on No. 10 to finish the 459-yard par-4 with a four-putt double bogey. He ended the day with a 3-over 75 and dropped from the second-day lead to a tie for third place.
Lu, who is tied for sixth, played in the 1988 International at Castle Pines (earning no money) before his back gave out. That caused him to put his clubs down for almost eight years, beginning in 2001.
“To have overcome stuff that’s in your way and to kind of get back to where you want to be, that takes a lot of courage,” Lehman said of players overcoming adversity.
Those familiar with Blake’s physical struggles couldn’t have been surprised to see him become teary-eyed in the interview room when asked what a victory here would mean to him. Next to his family, it would mean the world.
“I never thought I was an emotional guy until about 10 years ago. . . . I’m just happy to be able to play again,” he said.
Blake quit the PGA Tour in 2005 after suffering from lower back problems for nearly a decade. He dabbled in the Nationwide Tour, professional golf’s minor leagues, “but that was worse,” he recalled, “because those young guys seemed like they were driving it 350 (yards) every shot and I was 260, 270. . . . I almost thought I’d had enough.”
As the Champions Tour does for so many, turning 50 gave Blake a fresh start. Since his 1991 victory in San Diego, he has teed it up 396 times without hoisting a winner’s trophy. The last time Blake led after 54 holes? That would be the 1997 Buick Invitational, when he shot 77 in the final round and tied for 11th.
“I probably won’t sleep a lot tonight, a lot of nerves,” Blake said.
Blake doesn’t even have full playing privileges on the Champions Tour and only gets into tournaments by playing well in qualifiers. A victory would give him a full exemption to the Champions Tour for the next year.
After his 2-under 70, Blake embraced his wife, and he should have kissed his driver. He hit 11 of 14 fairways during the third round and has found the short grass with 35 of 42 tee shots this week.
Couples became loose with his approach shots and far too often landed in the wrong parts of tough greens — that is, when he hit them. He needed 35 putts to get around, compared with 24 for Mark O’Meara, who charged into a tie for third place with a 5-under 67 that included nine one-putt holes.
“(Fred) comes with a bad back a lot,” O’Meara said. “But I’m claiming that I would like to have a bad back and hit it 40 yards by where I hit it.”
Forgive Blake if he doesn’t see much humor in that.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
Bests
Lift for Loeffler:
Bill Loeffler shot another 69 on Saturday and gained 39 spots going into the final round. After his opening-round 69, he shot a 10-over-par 82 on Friday and fell hard. His rebound Saturday left him tied for 30th overall and tied for the lead among remaining club pros.
David tames Goliath:
David Frost’s bogey-free round Saturday set a course record at 7-under 65, which included just 24 putts after hitting 13-of-18 greens.
Eagle sighting:
Mark O’Meara opted for driver on No. 8 and just missed holing out for double eagle on the 311- yard uphill hole. The shot nearly skimmed the cup and went about 8 feet past, and O’Meara confidently made his eagle putt. David Krause, The Denver Post
Worsts
Poor putting:
After his approach shot into the 10th green suggested birdie, Fred Couples four-putted the par-4 from inside 15 feet. His birdie putt went past the hole about 3 feet. Then Couples, left, needed three to get in from there.
Kite grounded:
Coming off a tap-in birdie on the third hole to pull even with the leader, Couples, Tom Kite lost six strokes on the next five holes. His double bogey on No. 5 hurt, but his bogey on the par-5 No. 7 had equal sting.
Hard to take:
Tom Lehman’s triple bogey on the par-3 No. 17 took some gas out of his charge. He put his tee shot in the bunker and needed two shots to get out, then three-putted to card what he called “an easy triple.” David Krause, The Denver Post; Andy Cross photo, The Denver Post
Hole of the day
206-yard, par-3 17th.
Leave it to another testy downhill par-3 to keep the players guessing. There were just seven birdies — and seven double bogeys or higher, including the triple bogey by co-leader Tom Lehman. With the pin just four paces off the left side of the green, the hole was well-guarded by the front left bunker and was the most difficult of the day, with a 3.395 scoring average.
Fan guide
The Senior PGA Championship at Colorado Golf Club:
SCHEDULE
Gates: 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Tee times: 8:40-10:50 a.m. (going off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees)
Completion of round: 4 p.m.
Tiebreaker: Sudden death; they play No. 18, and then, if needed, go to Nos. 16 and 17, then 18 again.
TICKETS
Daily pass: $35 (one adult can bring up to four children; 17 and younger free)
PARKING
The V Lot is for fans, costs $5 and has shuttle service to the course. From E-470, Parker Road (exit 5) and go south to Stroh Road, west to Crowfoot Valley Road. From Interstate 25 southbound, Lincoln Avenue (exit 193) east to Parker Road, then south to Stroh. From I-25 northbound, Founders Parkway (exit 184) east to Crowfoot, north to the lot.
