Ballesteros in front

Press, 17 April 1978, Page 26

Ballesteros in front

NZPA-Reuter Carlsbad, California Severiano Ballesteros, the European golfing champion from Spain, increased his lead to four strokes after yesterday’s third round of the 5U5225.000 Tournament of Champions.

Ballesteros, 21, who won the Greater Greensboro open two weeks ago for his first victory on the American tour, had a one-over-par 73 in the .gusty winds for a total of hine-under-par 207, Mac McLendon was alone in second place at five-under-pai 211, while Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Bill Kratzert and Bobby Cole (South Africa) were tied for third at 212.

The Masters champion, Gary Player, saw his game come apart on the back side of the Lacosta Country Club course, and he staggered in with a 40. The veteran South African was seven shots off the pace at 214, as was the defending champion, Jack Nicklaus. And at Tallahassee, Florida, the rookie, Jim Nelford, of Canada, posted a five-under-par 67 yesterday to extend his lead to two

strokes after the second round of the SUSBO.OOO Tallahassee open golf tournament.

Nelford, was at 11-under-par 133. He was trailed at 135 bv Bruce Lietze and Allen Miller, who won the tournament in 1974.

John Lister (New Zealand) was 10 strokes behind Nelford after of 73 and 70. Jack Newton (Australia) failed to make the cut, with his total of 147. Across the Atlantic Ocean in Penina, Portugal, Howard Clark (Britain) won the Portuguese open golf tournament with a total of 291. Brian Barnes (Britain) shot a final-round 66 to share second place on 292 with Simon Hobday (Rhodesia). Simon Owen (New Zea-

land) had a disappointing tournament, finishing with 78, 77, 76, 78 — 306. Back in the United States, in Birmingham. Alabama, Nancy Lopez, the top money-winner on the ladies’ Professional Golf Association tour, birdied the eighteenth hole yesterday to take a one-stroke lean after two rounds of the SUS6O,OOO Birmingham classic. Miss Lopez, 21, broke out of a four way tie with the United States Open champion, Hollis Stacy, Jane Blalock and Pat Meyers by sinking a 3m putt on the final hole for an even-par 72. She had a 36-hole total of six-under-par 138. Marilyn Smith (New Zealand) was well down on 79, 74 — 153.