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By Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator

SUNRIVER, Ore. -- Strange things have been happening at the 2007 JELD-WEN Tradition.

A red-hot putter has D.A. Weibring gunning for a second consecutive win. (WireImage)

Two of the Champions Tours most experienced players, Ben Crenshaw and Tom Watson, suffered an accidental mix-up with their golf balls during the second round where each hit the other's ball before realizing the mistake and taking a two-shot penalty.

Keith Fergus was assessed a two-stroke penalty following the third round after a television review caught him inadvertently testing the conditions in a bunker by moving his feet on No. 17.

D.A. Weibring has generally escaped the madness this week, though while playing with Bob Gilder and good friend Peter Jacobsen on Friday the threesome did manage to play No. 1 without any of them removing the putter from the bag.

With a pitching wedge and a cry of "be right," Weibring's ball fell into the par-4 first during Friday's second round for eagle. Proof that "sometimes positive things can carry over," as Weibring put it, he went on to shoot 66 in that round after a first-round 72.

The third round, however, didn't begin as fortunately, with Weibring starting with a bogey.

"Where I made a 2 on No. 1 yesterday I made 5 today," Weibring said. "[But] I took advantage of some opportunities on the front side after the bogey mistake on No. 1. It was a little gusty on the back side with some very good pins so it was nice to (come away with a bogey on) No. 16 and it was a bonus to get a birdie on No. 17."

He credits working on his pitching earlier in the week with helping him make saves from the bunker and the fringe.

"I could just tell that, even though there are some great big greens and little greens, pitch shots were going to be important this week so I really focused my after-round practice on that," Weibring said. And it paid off -- Weibring is in solo third at 10-under, two shots behind leaders David Edwards and Mark McNulty.

He's also coming off a victory at the last Champions Tour event two weeks ago. Weibring won the 3M Championship at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn., by one stroke over Jay Haas, making birdie on the final three holes to capture his fourth Champions Tour victory.

Weibring hasn't finished outside the top-20 since late June and is making his way up the Charles Schwab Cup rankings to where he now sits at No. 9. His win in Minnesota was just his latest in a long stretch of victories in the Midwest, including wins at the 1979 Ed McMahon Quad City Open, the 1991 Hardee's Golf Classic and the 1995 Quad City Golf Classic in his home state of Illinois.

"If you look at my track record in the Midwest, the Quad City event was like a major to my father. He passed away in 1984 but before that, I took him to the Masters and he'd still say, "Knock off the Quad Cities Open."

Weibring's father helped nurture his son's interest in the game and this week it all came full circle. Growing up, Weibring said, "a really good player who was about seven years older than me in our area used to caddie for my dad. His name was Frank 'Chipper' Groves, and I got his old clubs from him."

Groves lives in nearby Sisters, Ore., and earlier in the week, Weibring had a chance to catch up with the man who, by caddying for Weibring's father, was able to purchase the clubs that Weibring himself later used.

Weibring's own son took up the game and is now a member of the Nationwide Tour. As a father, D.A. said it can be tough to watch his son Matt attempt to make it in the professional golf world but credits the example of Doug and Chris Collins for helping Matt realize that he can carve his own niche.

One of D.A. Weibring's good friends is Doug Collins, a fellow Illinois State University athlete who played in the NBA, coached a number of NBA squads and has worked as a television announcer for basketball broadcasts. Weibring said the success of Collins' son Chris, a former professional basketball player who is now an assistant coach at Duke University, has shown Matt that the experience gained and opportunities drawn from being the son of a famous athlete can have a positive impact.

"I have all the respect for Matt. He works hard and is so passionate. He wants it really bad but can be hard on himself from wanting to be good," said Weibring. "I know it's just a matter of time and I'm proud of his effort and the wonderful feedback I've been hearing."

As for his own career, following his win two weeks ago Weibring was grateful to receive an outpouring of emails, notes and congratulations, including some from workers at TPC Las Colinas where Weibring is hurrying to finish renovations on the host course of the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. He said he may even be running back and forth in the midst of a three-week West Coast Swing for the Champions Tour to check on the progress of the course since it's a very high priority for him to get it done.

But on Sunday Weibring concentration will be focused on earning a second straight win.

"I heard Tom Watson predict the final score at 12- or 14-under and that may not be a bad number. It's funny - sometimes the lead stays about the same from the second round to the third. I'm not sure it will tomorrow but there will be some good rounds with guys coming from behind.

"I had that experience in Minnesota. I had a couple shot lead over Tom Watson and Jim Thorpe and we all...shot even par on the front side but you knew people were coming from behind. I think that will happen tomorrow even if the conditions are harder. If the wind blows and it's challenging, the scores can go up so whatever the lead is today can win very easily."