Argentine plays 25 holes, bogeys just one
Updated: July 10, 2004, 10:49 PM ET
Associated Press
SILVIS, Ill. -- Jose Coceres finished off one round and nearly ended another before finally giving a shot back.
It was a rare flaw in an otherwise perfect -- and very long -- day for the Argentine seeking his third PGA Tour title.
On Saturday, Coceres put himself in good position to win the John Deere Classic, wrapping up one 3-under 68, then shooting another to take a two-stroke lead.
His only bogey in 25 holes Saturday came on the last hole, when he three-putted to finish at 15-under 198 total. Greg Chalmers was second after capping a third-round 69 with a birdie.
"The only thing that I'm sorry about is that I three-putted. That was my mistake," Coceres said through a translator. "It's a big change, from four to two. I'm just going to see how it goes and I'm going to fight to win the tournament tomorrow."
Both Coceres and Chalmers finished the rain-delayed second round on Saturday morning, with Coceres taking a one-stroke lead over Chalmers into the third round.
While Coceres faltered on the last hole, Chalmers closed with birdies on his last two. He sank a 15-foot birdie on the eighth, then hit a 5-iron within 2 feet on the ninth.
"Hopefully [that's] going to make my meal taste a lot better tonight and leave me in good position going into tomorrow," Chalmers said. "There are a lot of guys that are 11 under, so it was nice to get off that mound."
Steve Stricker (64) was 11 under, along with 50-year-old Jay Haas (67), Robert Gamez (67),Joe Durant (67), Mark Hensby (69), Stewart Cink (67) and Vaughn Taylor (70). Defending champion Vijay Singh had a 67 to top a group at 10 under.
Coceres, trying to qualify for the British Open next week as the highest finisher not already exempt to Royal Troon, has only two bogeys in 54 holes on the TPC at Deere Run.
The 40-year-old Argentine, who played the back nine first in the third round, made few mistakes with the lead, and got going with a 4-foot birdie putt on the 13th. He later strung together three more birdies in five holes to extend his lead.
He hit 16 greens in regulation and needed 31 putts.
Coceres was runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2001 after victories at the Worldcom Classic and the National Car Rental Classic. But he broke his arm in 2002 and has struggled to regain his winning form.
Not that he has forgotten what it's like to win.
"I like the front," he said. "When I was winning, I felt good, and I feel that way again."
Players took advantage of ideal conditions a day after heavy rain soaked the course -- not that it helped Singh on the 11th.
In the most imaginative shot of the day, Singh hit his drive far left into a hazard on the par-4 hole. Instead of taking a penalty drop into thick rough, he dropped on a cart path and the ball remained on the cement surface.
The gamble paid off.
Singh knocked his approach cleanly off the path and onto the green to set up a par-saving, 10-foot putt.
Taylor, who began the round two shots off the lead, had a woeful start but managed to recover to stay in contention.
Playing in the final group, the 28-year-old rookie missed a tap-in for par on the 10th and had another three-putt bogey on the 12th. He regrouped at the 17th with the first of four birdies, including a 16-footer at the par-3 third.
Chalmers stayed in contention with solid play from the bunkers early in his round. The Australian left-hander found the sand on three of his first four holes, but managed to salvage par on each one -- chipping within an inch of the cup on the par-4 11th.
"I started off fairly scratching, and I pretty much stayed that way the whole day up until the last two holes," he said. "I really was struggling. I was a little tired and worn out."
Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press
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