Fred Couples rallied from a disastrous 13th hole Saturday to forge a consecutive 6-under 66 and a one-stroke lead over Bernhard Langer entering the final round of the Ensure Classic at Rock Barn in Conover, N.C.
Langer, who has five wins this year on the Champions Tour and leads the season-long race for the Schwab Cup, will be in the final pairing with Couples, who has three wins and is second in the Schwab rankings, trailing Langer by 672 points.
Couples was three shots clear of Langer after a birdie on the par-4 12th hole, but he pulled his tee shot on 13 into the hazard left, which blocked him from a shot at the green. After an approach shot to the right and a poor pitch that left him in the bunker, he blasted out and holed the putt for a double-bogey 6.
Langer, playing in the group ahead, birdied 14 and 15 to push into the lead briefly. Langer escaped with a bogey on the par-3 17th after nearly dunking his tee shot, and Couples led briefly by two with a birdie on 16. Couples gave the shot back by pulling an iron on 17 left of the green and leaving his pitch shot 10 feet short. Both players birdied the par-5 18th to set up Sunday's duel.
"I made a lot of birdies, which I have to do tomorrow," Couples said. "If I can make seven or eight birdies, I'll be tough tomorrow."
Tied in third at 134, two behind Couples, are Nick Price, who shot 67, and Morris Hatalsky, who had the day's best round with a 7-under 65.
Peter Senior, the first-round leader with a 65 on Friday, dropped back in the field with an even-par 72.
Couples, plagued with back problems most of his career, said Friday he can feel his back starting to act up and plans to see a specialist on Monday. Saturday, he said his play is still not affected.
"When I'm walking around I do OK; it's nice and warm. I can't blame one bad shot on my back. A couple times I felt uncomfortable moving around, but not hitting a ball."
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