Frenchman takes control

The Washington Post

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- Scrambling like a waiter trying to balance five glasses of beaujolais on a silver tray, Frenchman Jean Van De Velde took control of the 128th British Open Saturday with a remarkable display of recovery golf on a course that continued to punish much of the field.

Van De Velde, who began another windy day with a one-shot lead, posted a 1-under-par 70 that left him at even-par 213 in what may be the most difficult major championship in recent memory. He opened a five-shot lead on Australian Craig Parry, who shot a 67 Saturday, the week's best round, and 1997 British Open champion Justin Leonard (71- 218), who overcame a five-shot deficit to win his first major at Royal Troon.

"I know there are a lot of better players who have had a commanding lead and lost," said Van De Velde, who is trying to become the first qualifier to win this event since 1962, when rules calling for all competitors to qualify into the field were changed to allow exemptions. "What can happen? I can lose it. But the other thing is, I can win it."

Just when Tiger Woods seemed poised to make a serious move toward his second major championship, a double bogey at the still brutally difficult 17th hole left him seven shots off the lead after a creative round of 74 that could have been far worse. That tied him for fourth at 7-over-par with South African David Frost (71) and Scotsman Andrew Coltart (72).

"Basically, anyone who has a lead like that has got to sleep on it," Woods said. "That's not easy to do. When I won the Masters in '97, it wasn't exactly an easy night's sleep, and I had a nine-shot lead. Anything can happen. He knows this golf course is very penal, and he has to come out and play a solid round of golf again. I'll have to post a number early and see what happens."

Greg Norman, only three shots off the lead before he set out Saturday afternoon with Woods in front of six-deep galleries, shot a 75. He is eight strokes back, with Argentina's Angel Cabrera, who skied to 77 after starting just a shot behind Van De Velde, his playing partner Saturday.

The most likely challenge to the 33-year-old Van De Velde -- a European Tour player the past 11 years who likely will be on the Ryder Cup team in September -- seems likely to come from Leonard. On three occasions, Leonard has overcome a five-stroke deficit to win a tournament. In the British Open two years ago, he shot a 65 in the final round at Troon to overtake Sweden's Jesper Parnevik, who also tumbled off the board Saturday with a 78 that left him at 10-over 223.

"To have a chance to win this tournament going into Sunday was my primary goal at the beginning of the week," saidContinued on page 8- G, col. 4

Leonard, a lifelong follower of fellowTexan Ben Hogan, who won at Carnoustie in 1953. "I've accomplished that and I hope I can accomplish something else tomorrow. (As for Hogan), I don't want to put that on myself just yet. I've got enough on my shoulders as it is without putting Mr. Hogan on there, too."

Van De Velde began playing golf at age 6 and could become the first Frenchman since Arnaud Massey in 1907 to win the coveted claret jug. He knows the pressure will be immense on Sunday, when he will be paired with Parry while Leonard will be in the group just behind and Woods will be two groups back. And yet Saturday night, he hardly needed any champagne to feel a bit tipsy over his position.

"How many times is it going to happen in the lifetime of a golfer?" he said. "You're here, and how many times are you going to lead the Open by five? The only thing I have to prove is to myself. I'm just trying to be there for myself, enjoy it, and that's it. Maybe I'm going to blow it, but let me tell you, I will enjoy it. I'm going to force myself to enjoy it."

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