BLAINVILLE, Que. — Consecutive rounds of 66 have given John Cook the lead, but it looks like it will be a shootout to decide the winner of the inaugural Montreal Championship.
The 7,105-yard par-72 course at the Fontainebleau Golf Club has been a sitting duck for the Champions Tour’s best hitters with its wide open fairways, short par-4s, reachable par-5s and true-rolling greens.
So while Cook leads at 12-under 132 and Russ Cochran is alone in second place only one stroke back after a 68, there are 17 players within four shots of the lead going into today’s third and final round.
The variable is the gusting wind that has blown through the first two days, although it doesn’t look to have hampered scoring much, especially D.A. Weibring, who fired a course-record 63 on Saturday, a day after a laborious even par.
“If we get wind, it’ll be a tough test, if we don’t, it will be a shootout,” said Cook, who is seeking his first win of the year on the senior circuit. “’I might be leading but (Sunday) is the telling day.
“’I won’t worry about anything until the back nine. I only missed two greens this week. I’m hitting really quality shots and if I keep doing that, I’ll give myself a chance.”
Some big names climbed into contention on Saturday, as Tour money leader Fred Couples shot 66 to join a group of eight players tied for third at 135.
They include Corey Pavin, who only last week was one stroke from winning a PGA Tour tournament before losing in a playoff, and Craig Stadler, who equalled the old course record with a 65.
Others at 135 were Weibring, David Frost, Larry Mize and Peter Senior.
It was also a good day for Victoria’s Jim Rutledge, the top Canadian, who shot 69 to sit at 4-under 140. Yvan Beauchemin of Trois-Rivieres, Que., also had 69 for a two-day total of 141, while Daniel Talbot St-Basile-le-Grand, Que., had a tough day shooting 72 for a total of 142. Meanwhile, Dave Barr of Kelowna, B.C. had consecutive rounds of 74.
The seven players at 136 include Mark Calcavecchia, in only his second week on the Champions Tour, and last week’s winner at Endicott, N.Y., Loren Roberts, who both shot 66. There is also Tom Lehman, who had a second consecutive 68.
“Whoever has the hottest rounds usually wins, but in this case there will be a few hot rounds,” Couples said when asked the predict what will be needed to win. “I may have to shoot 6-under or 7-under again, maybe more.”
Couples had low expectations coming in after nearly a one-month break from official tournaments but the darling of the large crowds lining the fairways has put himself in the thick of the race. An estimated 20,000 turned out, with the biggest galleries hanging on every shot by shoo-in “rookie” of the year candidate Couples.
“This is a phenomenal event, as good or better than any of our big tournaments,” said the 50-year-old, who has eagled the 515-yard par-5 seventh hole on consecutive days. “It’s fun to play in front of a lot of people.”