GOLF ROUNDUP : Pride Is Showing in Memphis

Rookie Dicky Pride nearly holed out for eagle on No. 17 in taking the lead, only to bogey the final hole and fall back into a tie for the top spot after Saturday’s third round of the $1.25-million Federal Express St. Jude Classic at Memphis, Tenn.

Pride’s approach shot from 185 yards at No. 17 bounced a few feet short of the cup and hit the pin, which prevented the ball dropping into the hole. His tap-in for birdie left him alone in front at 14 under par.

But he gave that advantage away on the 18th, when he drove into the water and took a bogey to finish a round of 67 that left him at 13-under 200 after 54 holes.

Pride, a two-time All-Southeastern Conference golfer for Alabama, was joined atop the leader board by Russ Cochran, another former SEC player from Kentucky, and Gil Morgan. Cochran, a left-hander, shot 65 and Morgan had a 63.

Jay Haas led another threesome at 201 after a 68. Second-round leader Fuzzy Zoeller shot a 70 and Gene Sauers had a 67.

Pride, who qualified for the PGA Tour last fall, has struggled in his first season with ligament damage in his left wrist, missing the cut in 12 of 17 tournaments.

But he showed improvement two weeks ago with a course-record 64 in the second round of the Deposit Guaranty in Mississippi. He finished eighth in the rain-shortened tournament, winning $20,300.

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It was happening again. Helen Alfredsson was throwing away another third-round lead.

Bogey at the 13th hole. Bogey at the 15th. Suddenly, a two-stroke advantage had changed into a three-way tie for the lead in the LPGA Ping-Welch’s Championship at Canton, Mass.

Then the Swede who collapsed a week earlier in the U.S. Open caught herself. She parred the next two holes, then birdied the 18th to end the day with a one-stroke lead at eight-under-par 208 after shooting a 70.

Juli Inkster, the second-round leader, and Annika Sorenstam were tied for second at 209. Pat Bradley, the first-round leader, and Gail Graham were at 210. Graham shot 68, Sorenstam 71 and Inkster and Bradley 72.

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After bogeying three of his first seven holes, Lee Trevino steadied himself and shot a three-under-par 69 to remain tied for the lead in the $650,000 Northville Long Island Classic at Jericho, N.Y.

Trevino, winner of five Senior PGA Tour events this year, shares first place with 50-year-old rookie Jay Sigel, who shot a 67 on the par-72, 6,775-yard Meadow Brook Club for a two-round score of nine-under 135.