By John Oehser
Florida Times-Union sports writer
Morris News Service

PONTE VEDRA BEACH - A golf tip: a few things not to do upon tying for the lead of the fifth most important tournament in the world.

A) Pull approach for double bogey.

B) Bogey next hole.

C) Double-bogey eagle hole.

Such was the day of Wayne Grady yesterday: 13 holes at 6- under par to tie for the lead, and 5 over on Nos. 14, 15 and 16 to ruin an otherwise fine day.

``The most expensive few holes I've ever had,,'' said Grady, who finished with a 2-under 70 for the day and 9 under for the tournament.

Grady, the 1990 PGA champion, became the most unlikely leader on a weird, wild final day of the Players Championship by shooting a 5-under 31 on the front nine, then birdieing Nos. 10 and 12 around a bogey on No. 11 to tie then-leader Tommy Tolles.

His tee shot on No. 13 landed in the fairway, but on his next shot, he said, ``the lid came off.''

``I was trying to hit in the middle of the green,'' he said. ``I pulled it and hit a tree. It dropped down and finished on some leaves, but there was a broken branch and some clutter and I couldn't get close to it.''

He finished the hole with a double-bogey, and suddenly two shots behind Tolles, ``played the next hole like an old girl,'' he said.

On No. 16, one of the course's best eagle opportunities, he hit a chip shot from 30 yards over the green into water, and what began as his best round in memory was headed for a 70 and a mediocre finish.

``Two bad swings,'' he said. ``It's too bad. I played pretty good. It was a bit of fun for a while.''

The swings dropped Grady's winnings from a potential $630,000 winners' check to $$35,735 for 7th place, yet, he said, despite the timing of his drop - the moments after tying for the lead - the pressure for his first victory since the 1990 PGA didn't cause it.

``I had an idea I was around there somewhere,'' Grady said. ``I didn't really look so I wasn't sure. It would be nice to say I just choked my -- off, but I didn't.''