Watson leads golf field

Press, 7 May 1984, Page 44

Watson leads golf field

NZPA-Reuter Carlsbad, California Tom Watson, wielding a hot putter, fired a five-under-par 67 to give himself a two-stroke lead over the Australian, David Graham, after the third round of the $400,000 Tournament of Champions. Watson birdied the first hole, eagled the second and birdied the fourth for a 54hole total of 207, nine-under, over the La Costa Country Club course.

Graham, a former United States Open champion, returned a 68 after a disastrous second round of 77. He led after a first-round 64. The Americans, Bruce Lietzke and Payne Stewart, were tied for third place four strokes off the pace on 211. Seve Ballesteros, of Spain, was another stroke behind at 212 after a 72, with Tom Kite and Lanny Wadkins. The second-round leader, Hal Sutton, blew to a 77 and

was in a four-way tie for eighth place at 213. Watson dropped a threemetre putt for his first birdie, then eagled the parfive second by reaching the green in two and making an eight metre putt. The thirty-second annual Tournament of Champions brought together 35 players who had won either a P.G.A. tour event or the Masters, U.S. Open or the British Open in the past year.