Sat Jul 19 22:39:21 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Eaks grabs lead at 3M Championship

---

Blaine, MN (Sports Network) - R.W. Eaks fired a nine-under 63 on Saturday to grab a three-shot lead heading into the final round of the 3M Championship.

Eaks, who claimed both of his Champions Tour wins last season, stood at 16- under 128 following a rain-delayed second round at the TPC Twin Cities.

Loren Roberts shot a 65 and Gene Jones had a 67 to share second place at 13- under 131, while first-round leader Dana Quigley managed just a 70 to fall into solo fourth place at 12-under 132.

Bernhard Langer (66) was the only other player within five shots of Eaks at 11-under 133.

Eaks was not among three co-leaders when play was suspended around 2:45 p.m. local time as a line of thunderstorms rolled through the area. But after a delay of nearly three hours -- play resumed at 5:30 -- he began taking control.

He birdied two consecutive holes, the sixth and seventh, on putts inside two feet. A poor chip-shot at No. 8 led to his only bogey of the round, but Eaks would play the next 10 holes at six-under par.

"It was one of my best ball-striking rounds," he said.

And it showed.

Eaks knocked a six-iron to eight feet at the ninth hole, dropped a wedge shot inside seven feet at the 10th and knocked another wedge shot to just inches at the 11th to set up three consecutive birdies.

He made back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th holes, both set up by good mid-iron shots, then knocked a five-wood onto the back of the 18th green and two-putted for a birdie as darkness settled on the course.

It marked the first time Eaks held the 36-hole lead in a Champions Tour event since his last victory, at the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn last September. Both of his victories -- he also won last July's Dick's Sporting Goods Open -- have come after he held the second-round lead.

On Saturday, it may have taken Eaks a while to realize he was leading. There aren't many leaderboards at the TPC Twin Cities until the 17th and 18th holes.

"And I'm a leaderboard watcher," said Eaks.

Although he's had mixed results on tour this season -- one top-10 finish in 15 starts -- he may also have an excuse. Eaks has been playing on a pair of bad knees.

"I need two new ones," said Eaks. "Therapists out here have been helping me. I've been contacted by a company that has these braces I can wear at night. They say it will really help me.

"It's renewed my outlook on things and I think there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I have bad days and really bad days."

Saturday was neither.