Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 8, 1990 TAG: 9004080120
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: AUGUSTA, GA. LENGTH: Medium
Therefore, Floyd doesn't mind being the rabbit heading into today's final round of the 54th Masters.
After a brilliant 5-under-par 31 on the back nine of Saturday's third round, Floyd was playing "catch me if you can."
"I think through my career I have always been a good front-runner," Floyd said. "I'll just have to take my chances again.
"The only thing that changes overnight is mental. Your attitude can change and your game can explode. It's all mental. But through the years, I've always thought I can manage to get around that."
Floyd got around Augusta National Golf Club in 4-under-par 68 Saturday. Floyd's 10-under 206 total is two shots better than Masters rookie John Huston, who also shot 68.
Three shots back at 209 was defending champion Nick Faldo, whose 66 tied Tom Kite for low round on a day when players blistered defenseless Augusta.
Lurking five shots back at 211 was six-time winner Jack Nicklaus, who overcame poor ball-striking to shoot 69.
Nicklaus, who knows the leader and his game well, confessed Floyd appears locked in the driver's seat.
"Ray is the key to the whole golf tournament now," Nicklaus said. "I think if Ray Floyd shoots a good [final] round, nobody will catch him. If he shoots 70, how many have a chance to catch him? Not many."
Nicklaus, though, wasn't about to concede his chances, or for that matter, anybody else's.
"Ray is a terrific competitor and, when he's leading, he's usually tough and stays there," Nicklaus said.
"But this is the Masters, and it's tough to stay there. Sure, I'm going to have to play well. I feel like I've got to about double my score [5 under] to have a chance."
Floyd, 47, has a shot to become the oldest man ever to don the Masters' green jacket. Nicklaus was 46 when he won his record sixth title in 1986.
If Floyd can continue to work magic today as he did on the final nine holes Saturday, the Masters seamstress can start making a size-46 jacket. The veteran from Fayetteville, N.C., brought Augusta to its knees down the stretch.
"I was drawing lightning out of a jug and you don't do that often," said Floyd, who led from wire-to-wire to win his only Masters title by eight shots in 1976.
"The 31 on the back feels terrific, especially the way I did it."
After shooting a 1-over 37 on the front to fall one shot behind Huston, Floyd turned it on starting at No. 10, where he ran in a 12-foot birdie putt.
That stroke was only cheap real estate in a back nine that would include another 100 feet of birdies.
At No. 12, Floyd drained a 25-footer. He chipped in a 25-footer at No. 14. At the 15th, he holed a 15-foot sidehill putt. At the par-3 16th, he sank a roller coaster, 35-foot snake.
"The one at No. 10 was the only patented-type birdie," Floyd said. "The rest were kinda shaky."
There is nothing shaky about his game and attitude these days. Floyd, whose last victory came in the 1986 U.S. Open, said he was having the time of his life this week.
"My attitude has just been so good," he explained. "I'm having fun and I haven't put any pressure at all on my golf game. And if I don't put pressure on my golf game [today], I hope to have some more fun."
Floyd said he won't be concerned with his pursuers.
"I've got no control on the others," he said. "I could shoot 69 and lose. Then again, I could shoot 75 and win. You just never know."
Huston, who qualified for the Masters by winning the Honda Classic three weeks ago, doesn't seem concerned about anything, either. He opened with a 66, fell to 74 Friday, but regrouped for 68 Saturday.
After making his only bogey of the day at No. 7, the relatively unknown 25-year-old reeled off four consecutive birdies. He parred the final seven holes.
"I'm nervous, but I'm not real fidgety," Huston said. "I've just got to do my own thing. . . . it's just golf."
Faldo, who beat Scott Hoch in a playoff here in 1989, said he won't press the issue today.
"I have to keep playing in the same mode as I have been," said Faldo, who had six birdies and no bogeys on his 33-33 card.
"I've got to keep playing aggressively and hope it comes off. Ray, yeah, he's usually good as a front-runner, but there are a lot of guys close behind him. I think it's going to be a tough one."
Faldo said the trailing players will have a better chance to make up ground if the 6,905-yard course is playing tough today. An overnight rain Friday and virtually no wind on Saturday allowed the players to throw darts.
"Everybody within six or seven shots must have a chance," said Bernhard Langer, who is tied with Hoch six shots back.
Others eight shots or closer to the lead and still holding a chance include three players at 213 - Spainard Jose-Marie Olazabal, Scott Simpson, Bill Britton - and two at 214 - Virginian Curtis Strange and Kite.
by CNB