Golf

Poised Curtis gets step closer

By TIMES WIRES
Published June 25, 2006

POTOMAC, Md. - Winning the Booz Allen Classic, a tournament that might not exist next year, could be as important to Ben Curtis as winning the British Open.

With a five-stroke lead entering today's final round, he had his best chance to prove that his 2003 victory as a rookie at Royal St. George's was no fluke.

"I wouldn't say it's more important," Curtis said, "but it's probably close to as important for me to go out there and prove that I can win again. For a while, I was having doubts, but I just kept working hard and fighting through the mess that I got myself into in my golf game. Now it seems to be going in the right direction."

And, unlike his British Open win, Curtis won't be sneaking up on anybody . He's led from the opening day with rounds of 62, 65 and 67, his 19-under score of 213 breaking the tournament record through 54 holes.

"Guys are going to go out there and they are going to come firing after me," Curtis said, "so I'm going to have to keep making birdies."

Curtis' nearest competitor was Brett Quigley, who was at 14 under.

LPGA: Jeong Jang shot 6-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead over fellow South Korean Mi Hyun Kim and rookie Brittany Lang after three rounds of the Wegmans LPGA in Pittsford, N.Y. Rookie Sun Young Yoo was tied for fourth at 8 under with Marcy Hart, Wendy Ward and Italy's Silvia Cavalleri. Seminole's Brittany Lincicome shot 71 and was tied for 13th, five back.

EUROPEAN PGA: Paul Casey of England birdied the 16th and 18th holes for 7-under-par 66, taking a one-stroke lead over Colin Montgomerie after three rounds of the Johnnie Walker Championship in Gleneagles, Scotland. Casey was at 15-under 204. Montgomerie, who faltered on the final hole of the U.S. Open last weekend, had no birdies in his final six holes.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Tom Jenkins was 8 under through 16 holes in the Commerce Bank Championship when play was suspended for good after a third rain delay in East Meadow, N.Y. Jenkins was 10 under for the tournament and had a one-stroke lead over Tom Wargo, who was 5 under through 12 holes. David Eger, the clubhouse leader, shot 65 and was at 7-under 135.

NATIONWIDE TOUR: Boo Weekly shot 6-under 66 to lead the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Classic after 54 holes. Weekly's 22-under 194 was two strokes better than Brandt Snedeker, who eagled the final hole for 3-under 69.

FUTURES: Korea's Ji Min Jeong fired 6-under-par 66 (135 total) to take the second-round lead at the Lima (Ohio) Memorial Hospital Classic. Clearwater's Jenny Gleason shot 69 and was five strokes back. Tampa's Elizabeth Stuart was at 143; Bradenton's Sookhee Baek missed the cut.

OTHER: Jeff Dennis of Parkland headed into today's final round with a 7-under 207 total to lead the Florida State Amateur Championship by four strokes at Pine Tree Golf Club in Boynton Beach. Marc France of Lakeland and Edward Kenny of Lake Worth were tied for second. . . . Hawaii's Kimberly Kim, 14, and California's Tiffany Joh, 19, play in today's 36-hole final of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship in Pueblo, Colo.

[Last modified June 25, 2006, 04:40:52]