SONY OPEN
Late tee time boon for Kelly
| • | Kelly leads pack after third round |
| • | Ferd Lewis: Steady Toms has good view anywhere |
| • | Ex-Kane'ohe resident tied for 38th |
| • | Sony Open scores |
Advertiser Staff
Sony Open in Hawai'i leader Jerry Kelly says, all things considered, today "is about as good as it gets."
First, the Wisconsin native says he gets to watch his beloved Green Bay Packers play San Francisco in the playoffs (kickoff is 7:30 a.m., Hawai'i time), then he takes a two-stroke lead into the final round of the tournament with a 1 p.m. tee time.
"That's a pretty good day," Kelly says.
• Putting tips: Kelly credits fellow Wisconsin native Andy North, an ESPN analyst, for the improvement in his putting.
"I call it the Andy North putting style. (He's) a fellow cheesehead," Kelly said.
"I've always been been an arms and shoulder putter, but, apparently, I had some wrist in there without even knowing it. It caused my tempo to be off," Kelly said.
• Love's consolation: Davis Love III, who didn't make Friday's cut, nevertheless won't leave O'ahu empty-handed.
He caught a small fish off Wai'alae yesterday morning while fishing with Mark Rolfing and PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem.
• Hooked on Hawai'i: At last week's Mercedes Championships on Maui, David Toms joked that he was coming to the Sony Open only because his wife wanted to, and at least he had a chance to make some money here, where on Maui he would only spend it. Now he's hooked.
"We've really enjoyed it," Toms said yesterday. "I haven't been here in a bunch of years now. We used to stay downtown in the fast-paced life of Waikiki. Now we're staying up here in a hotel by the golf course and my family is really having a great time.
"As long as I can get in that Mercedes Championships (a winners-only invitational), I'll come back here. I'd love to take care of that early. Get some better airfares, that's for sure."
SHORT PUTTS: Sony is expected to officially announce this morning that it will renew its sponsorship for the next four years. Nobuyuki Idei, chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Corporation, will be joined by PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem and Gov. Ben Cayetano at the press conference. ... Last week's Mercedes victory moved Sergio Garcia up to No. 4 in the World Golf Rankings, after Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and David Duval. ... Garcia is 10 shots back going into the final round today. If he finishes second or better, he will pass Jack Nicklaus in career tour earnings. ... The featured item at the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association's silent auction is a framed collection of pictures of the four major champions from 2001, with flags from each tournament and autographs. The HSJGA tent is located beyond the 10th green. ... Garcia turned 22 Wednesday, and David Peoples turned 42.
