St. Petersburg Times Online: Business

Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

Chasers find the going tough

JOHN SCHWARB
Published February 23, 2004

LUTZ - Fuzzy Zoeller's charge during the final round of the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am was memorable for reasons other than his near-miss at 59.

It was about the only serious run Sunday at winner Mark McNulty.

Eight players started the day within three of the lead, but only two shot in the 60s at the demanding TPC of Tampa Bay. Three failed to break par.

D.A. Weibring had one of the better opportunities, moving to 12 under after birdie at the par-5 14th. With that birdie he tied McNulty, but he bogeyed the par-4 15th and dropped another shot at the par-3 17th.

"It was a real strange back nine," said Weibring, who began the day one shot behind McNulty but finished three back after a round of 70. "Things could have gone three or four shots different for me on the back."

At the 15th his drive sailed into the fairway bunker and his approach landed short of the green. He chipped within 4 feet but missed the par putt. On the 17th he was too aggressive and also landed in a bunker, failing to get up and down for par.

Similar mistakes on the back nine cost Tom Purtzer, who shot 33 on the front to go from 8 under to 10 under and remain in contention. Bogeys at the 11th and 12th dropped him to 8 under. "Two bad iron swings," Purtzer said. "After I made the bogeys I was just trying to get back into a top-five position."

He at least did that, finishing tied for third with Zoeller at 11 under after eagle at the 14th and birdie at No.16 gave him 68.

Larry Nelson also shot 68, but playing alongside McNulty in the final group he never could pull ahead and finished second.

Vicente Fernandez, like Purtzer two shots at the start of the round, shot 71 and never was a factor. Mike McCullough, in contention from the outset after a first-round 64, shot 73 as did Dana Quigley.

Gil Morgan and Tom Jenkins, two more who could have made things interesting with Sunday rounds like their ones Friday (66 and 67), failed to menace with 70.

"My caddie kept leaving the putter cover on my putter," Jenkins joked. "I kept leaving them right in the heart (of the hole), just a bit short."

A bit short, like the rest of the challengers.

© Copyright, St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.