Allen leads Senior PGA by one

Golf Betting Lines

05/23/2009 - Beachwood, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Allen, who is making his first Champions Tour start, carded a three-under 67 Saturday to grab a one-shot lead after three rounds of the 70th Senior PGA Championship.

Allen, a PGA Tour regular who hasn't won since 1998 on the Nationwide Tour, completed 54 holes at three-under-par 207.

Tom Kite and Jeff Sluman both owned a piece of the lead during the third round, but stumbled late. Kite shot a one-under 69, while Sluman managed an even-par 70 as they share second place at minus-two.

Former Masters champion Larry Mize was also in the mix, but was derailed by three bogeys and a double-bogey on the back nine. Mize carded a one-over 71 as he was joined in fourth place at one-under-par 209 by Gil Morgan (70) and Tim Simpson (68).

Second-round leader Ross Drummond faltered to a six-over 76 that dropped him into a share of 16th at plus-two at Canterbury Golf Club.

Allen had a very steady round until catching fire on the back nine. He birdied the second from just over 15 feet out to move to minus-one, but gave that shot back as he bogeyed the ninth after parring six in a row from the third.

The 50-year-old parred the first four holes of the back nine as well. He was four shots back on the 14th, but started to make his move with a seven-foot birdie putt there.

Allen chipped his third to the par-five 15th within two feet and he kicked that in for birdie. He followed with another up-and-down birdie on the par- five 16th to get to three-under.

He parred the final two holes to get into the clubhouse at minus-three and it was good for the 54-hole lead as Sluman, Mize and Kite all stumbled late in their rounds.

"I seem like I'm playing really well on the front nine, but I just can't get any birdies out of it. All the putts seem to lip out," admitted Allen. "My expectations coming in were definitely to be competitive and to win. These guys are great players and they have beat me for a long time, but maybe it is my turn now. I don't know if I'm going to win or not, but I felt like I should definitely be competitive here."

Kite, whose first of 10 Champions Tour wins was a major (the 2000 Tradition), birdied the third and ninth to climb to minus-three and a share of the lead.

The 59-year-old parred the first five holes of the back nine. He moved into the lead at four-under with a two-putt birdie on the par-five 15th. After a par on 16, he missed the par-three 17th well right.

Kite dumped his chip into a bunker, but got up and down for bogey. He also bogeyed the last to end one back.

"I'll tell you what, it's a hard golf course and those last couple of holes are really hard," Kite admitted. "It is a pretty sadistic finish those last couple of holes. But all in all, I really feel like I'm playing well. I really like the way I'm striking the ball and I'm hitting a lot of greens in regulation."

Sluman, the 1988 PGA champion, birdied the second, but faltered to a bogey on the par-four fourth to dip to minus-two. He birdied the ninth to gain a share of the lead at minus-three.

After Kite pushed the lead to four-under, Sluman matched him there with a birdie on the 14th. However, he bogeyed 16 and 18 to drop into a share of second.

"I just have to drive it better. I kind of said the last two days I honestly don't know where it's going off the tee," stated Sluman. "The golf course is in wonderful condition, the type of golf course that if you're driving it well, you love to play, kind of right up my alley. But it's not up anybody's alley when you're kind of wild off the tee."

Joey Sindelar and Bruce Fleisher both posted one-under 69s to move into a share of seventh at even-par 210. They were joined there by Jay Don Blake (71). Fred Funk, Bernhard Langer, Joe Ozaki, Don Pooley, Mark McNulty and Chris Starkjohann are one shot back at plus-one.