Children's Miracle Network Classic round three: Why Justin Leonard needs to come unstuck

Scott Verplank had his chance Friday and blew it. Everyone else had the same opportunity Saturday and they blew it too. Or maybe more accurately the wind blew it, aided and abetted by the soggy course.

Verplank is right to say it only needs one of about 30 players to shoot a fistful of birdies to win. The problem, obviously, is identifying that hotshot, especially after Saturday’s meagre returns. Moving day? More like stick-in-the-mud day. Forget the 66s and 65s of the first two rounds - there was a lone 67 and just 12 other rounds under 70. It’s still going to play muddy and long Sunday, but at least the weather should cheer people up: sunny and not too windy according to those who should know. So surely we will see lower scores?

What gets me about Verplank is his laid back, devil-may-care attitude, as if he’s just along for the bracing air. He certainly shouldn’t still be leading after his 71 Saturday, and his stats look a mess. You just get a feeling sometimes that certain things are meant to be, whether logic dictates or not.

Logically, both Brett Wetterich and Justin Leonard should be showing the pack a clean pair of heels. Wetterich was famously undone by a spot of accidental gardening on the 18th.

Leonard’s downfall was mostly his putter: too many 10-footers or so went begging. Yet apart from his poor driving, his overall game is by far the best over three rounds. Given how much he’d love to qualify for the Masters next year, he needs to go for broke. But maybe that’s the trouble: he’s the over-eager ying to Verplank’s laid-back yang. As for Stephen Ames, he’s another who needs to push himself: he hasn’t broken 70 on the Magnolia so far.

So Saturday’s exhortation to expect the unexpected still stands. The PGA Tour site throws up some interesting little nuggets though, primarily that only three third round leaders including ties have gone on to win in the last 11 years and that Verplank’s record as leader into Sunday is 2 from 16. Oh and Heath Slocum, two shots off the lead, is sixth in PGA Tour ranks for lowest 4th round scoring.