Wiebe Stays Hot at 3M Championship


After vanquishing Bernhard Langer last Monday in the Senior British Open, Mark Wiebe is continuing his fine play on the Champions Tour.

The 55-year-old Oregonian carded an 8-under 64 to take the lead in the 54-hole 3M Championship. The $1.75 million event began Friday at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn.

Wiebe, whose win at Royal Birkdale last week was his first major title on any tour, got off to a fine start with five birdies on the front nine to make the turn in 5-under 31. He tacked on three more birdies on the back side.

The four-time winner on the over-50 circuit enjoys a one-stroke lead over Kenny Perry and Corey Pavin, and is two over Americans Bart Bryant, Tom Pernice Jr., Jeff Brehaut and John Riegger, and Australia's Peter Senior.

Three behind Wiebe are Hal Sutton and Scotland's Colin Montgomerie. Four off the pace are Aussie Steve Elkington, Canada's Rod Spittle, Japan's Kohki Idoki and Americans Mike Goodes, John Cook, Tom Kite, Jay Don Blake, Rocco Mediate and Mark Bucek.

Minnesota native, Tom Lehman, who did not play in Thursday's pro-am because of an illness, opened with a 69.

Defending champion Langer is not entered this week. The World Golf Hall of Fame member headed to his home country of Germany for a family reunion following his loss to Wiebe on the fifth sudden-death playoff hole at Royal Birkdale in England.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/content/pgatour/champions/leaderboard.html.