PALMER LEADS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31090, 20 June 1966, Page 14

PALMER LEADS

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SAN FRANCISCO.

A. Palmer made one of his dramatic finishes on Saturday to gain a three-stroke lead over W. Casper in the third round of the United States Open golf championship, Associated Press reported. Palmer, his powerful game showing signs of cracking with the loss of three strokes oh the twelfth and thirteenth holes, knocked in a 30ft putt on the sixteenth. Two more bogies gave him a par-70 and a 54-hole total of 207.

Casper fell four strokes back at one stage, cut the margin to one and then slumped again for a 73, and 210. J. Nicklaus went into third place, at 211 with a 69. Sixty-five golfers with 151 or better qualified for the final two rounds, and among those who failed were R. J. Charles (New Zealand), with 159 ( 80, 79). Three Australians—K. D. G. Nagle, B. Crampton and B. Devlin—qualified, but none is left with a chance. Nagle (224) and Crampton (226) collapsed in the third round, with scores of 81 and 80 respectively. Devlin shot a 71 and was on 220. The leading scores are:— 207: A. Palmer (71, 66. 70). 210: W. Casper (69 . 68, 73). 211: J. Nicklaus (71, 71, 69). 213: P. Rodgers (70, 70, 73), D. Marr (71, 74, 68). 214: R. Mcßee (76, 64, 74). 215: A. Mengert (67. 77, 71),

R. Goalby (71. 73, 71). A. Lerna (71. 74, 70). 216: *J. Miller (70, 72, 74). 217: R. Nicholls (74, 72. 71), M. Rudolph (74, 72, 71). 218: K. Burnemo (76. 72, 70). 219: D. Sanders (70 , 75 . 74), T. Aaron (73, 75, 71), R. Funseth (75, 75, 69), F. Beard (76. 74, 69). 220: J. Boros (74. 69, 77), *R. Murphy (73. 72, 75). W. Ellis (71, 75, 74). B. Devlin (74, 75, 71), R. Verwey (72, 73. 75). 221: D. January (73 , 73 . 75), W. Maxwell (73, 74, 74), R. Shave (76, 71, 74), K. Venturi <73 , 77, 71), B. Hogan (72, 73, 76). (• denotes amateurs.)