JERSEY CITY, N.J.—Webb Simpson looked at the scores and the weather, neither of which indicated an easy time yesterday at Liberty National. He quickly settled on a simple game plan and made it pay off in The Barclays. Simpson took advantage on some of the shorter holes to give him a cushion for the inevitable mistakes. It led to a 3-under 68 on a long, tough and wet afternoon that put the 24-year-old rookie atop the leaderboard for the first time all year.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Former Virginia golfer Steve Marino shot the day’s best round, a 7-under-par 63, and wound up in a group one shot off the pace in the rain-delayed third round of the Wyndham Championship. Sergio Garcia and Chris Riley were 13 under par through 10 holes to share the clubhouse lead last night when play was stopped midway through the round.

TURNBERRY, Scotland—Tom Watson has a plan to win the British Open. It no longer reads like a fairy tale. Even as he slipped out of the lead yesterday in the testing breeze of Turnberry, the 59-year-old didn’t blink. He fired off two late birdies to complete another amazing day with a 1-over 71 for a one-shot lead, putting him 18 holes away from becoming golf’s oldest major champion.

Back-to-back 6s in yesterday’s third round - the first a triple bogey, the second a double - may have effectively knocked Steve Marino out of contention in the British Open at Turnberry, Scotland. The former University of Virginia standout, who was a late addition to the field, enters today’s final round in a four-way tie for 10th, five shots behind leader Tom Watson. But no matter where Marino finishes, his performance in his first British Open has been remarkable, says his former coach at U.Va.

Tom Watson looked around at the amazing scene Saturday, his eyes tearing up a bit as all the Scottish fans surrounding the 18th green toasted one of golf’s greatest champions.

TURNBERRY, Scotland—Who was on base when Bobby Thomson hit his famous homer? Who doled out all those assists the night Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points? They could probably relate to Steve Marino. The unheralded former University of Virginia star got into the British Open as an alternate, had to fly his dad to Florida to send along his passport and found himself with the 36-hole lead at golf’s oldest major.

“I kept compounding my problems out there,“ Tiger Woods lamented after missing the cut. TURNBERRY, Scotland—In one unforgettable hour, as nostalgia gave way to disbelief, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods walked off the 18th green at Turnberry headed in opposite directions few could have imagined. The oldest player at the British Open was leading.

Former U.Va. player shoots 2-under 68 to share the lead at 5 under at Turnberry with Watson, who climbs back after bogeying five of the first seven holes. Woods misses the cut by one stroke.

first round Miguel Angel Jimenez drives a ball on the 16th tee. He claimed the lead at 6 under. TURNBERRY, Scotland—On the eve of the British Open, Tom Watson got a modern-day text message from Jack Nicklaus’ wife. Then it was time to turn back the clock at Turnberry. Thirty-two years after his epic “Duel in the Sun” with the Golden Bear, Watson took advantage of pristine conditions on the very same course to shoot a stunning 5-under 65 yesterday. He held the lead until Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez stole it late in the day with a 64, one shot off the record for lowest score in any major championship.

Steve Stricker has all sorts of top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season. Now he has the best one, too. Stricker birdied the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to beat Tim Clark and former University of Virginia golfer Steve Marino and win the Crowne Plaza Invitational yesterday. It was his first title after being second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh at other tournaments this year.