KAHUKU — Going into the final day of the Turtle Bay Championship it is tough to tell if the Champions Tour is more tired of being whipped by the wind or Loren Roberts.

Golfers shook a few more good rounds out of the Palmer Course yesterday, but mostly it just kept shaking from the North Shore breeze and Roberts' onslaught, both of which are relentless. After a second straight 66, Roberts is 12-under par and takes a four-shot advantage into this morning's final round.

"No lead is ever big enough," Roberts said. "I just want to get out and make a couple of birdies early. If I can make a couple birdies by (the sixth hole) that will be my goal."

Scott Simpson, another newbie on the senior tour, seized second alone when he birdied the final hole — nearly holing a 5-iron approach from 190 yards. Isao Aoki, R.W. Eaks, Bruce Summerhays and Don Pooley are tied for third another shot back. Eaks birdied five of the last seven holes to share the tournament course record with three others.

A week ago, Roberts shattered the senior tour's scoring record in winning the MasterCard Championship at Hualalai in 25-under par. He is poised to break Hale Irwin's scoring record of 16-under at this venue today. He broke Irwin's 36-hole record yesterday.

At this point, Roberts is the heavy favorite to cash in on the $225,000 first prize. He, however, knows as well as anyone that four shots can be blown to bits quickly. He went into the final round last week three shots behind Pooley.

"Last week some guy shot 61," Simpson said, grinning at Roberts, who won with that record score last Sunday. "I figure it will probably take about that low the way he is playing."

For the first time this century, Irwin will not be a factor. His hopes of winning the same tournament an unprecedented sixth straight time faded fast with a 77 yesterday. It was his highest score — by four — in the 30 rounds he has played this event. Irwin, who has won eight tournaments in Hawai'i, does not have a birdie this week.

"Nothing in my game is worth talking about right now, but that's the game," Irwin told TV minutes after his round. "This was a particularly tough week because I was looking forward to being here and I was just not very good at all."

In contrast, Roberts is playing so well he might be in danger of overstaying his welcome after just eight Champions starts. He won six times on the regular tour in his 40s, turned 50 last June, won his third start and finished 16th on the money list in just six events.

This year he has been breathtaking. He is 37-under after five rounds, and warmed up for the seniors by tying for 18th at the regular tour's Sony Open in Hawai'i.

After a bogey on the second hole yesterday, Roberts drained seven birdie putts — five within 10 feet — to give him 40 birdies on the senior tour this year. But he was most happy with the 5-footers he sank on the first and last hole for par.

"When it's windy it's tough to control your speed and that's the whole key to putting for me," Roberts said. "The good putts you make are the ones you make for par. ... If you can make those 4- or 5- or 6-footers for par that's huge."

When Eaks was asked if he could catch Roberts he was brutally honest: "Only if he goes home," Eaks said without a wink. "He's a great player and he's playing really well right now and he's got the momentum going. I'd say it's his tournament."

Even while playing in a zone alone, Roberts shuddered when told of Eaks' statement. "You won't ever hear me say that," he said. "There are too many good players out here. It's not easy."

Simpson, the 1987 U.S. Open champion, is right at home in Turtle Bay's windy conditions, and finally playing with guys his own age. His wife is from Hawai'i and they lived in Kailua from 1990 to '95. This is Simpson's fifth senior start since he turned 50 in September.

In two days, Simpson has hit it close enough to sink seven birdie putts within 10 feet and is a serious threat to get his best senior finish today.

"I was going to have a good week if I shot 80," Simpson said. "This is even better. I love being here. It's a lot of fun. I get to play with Loren tomorrow. That will be a lot of fun too. ... We are good friends. If he just wasn't playing so good."

NOTES

Loren Roberts is trying to become the first player since Larry Nelson, in 2001, to win the first two starts of the Champions Tour season. Roberts could also become the first wire-to-wire winner at Turtle Bay.

Since he shot a 2-over-par 73 in the last round of last year's U.S. Senior Open, Roberts has 19 straight rounds of par or better. His last 14 have been under par.

Scott Simpson's work as Parker McLachlin's caddie at the Sony Open in Hawai'i is paying instant dividends. Simpson said yesterday that McLachlin's work with a sports psychologist is helping his game this week. He is discussing shots more often with his caddie and verbalizing where he wants every shot to go, as McLachlin did at Waialae Country Club.

"It frees you up and makes you focus," Simpson said. "Then you have just one idea in your head instead of many."

R.W. Eaks shot 66 in his last round of 2005 to keep his playing privileges. That came after he complained of heart problems on the second hole. Two doctors and his wife advised him to quit after a blood pressure check that registered 198/98.

Eaks said he is still not sure what is wrong, but is on his sixth different medication. He monitors his blood pressure three times a day.

Allan Karlowsky won the Champions Tour's 25th Anniversary Sweepstakes last year. His prize was a trip to Turtle Bay this year. He played in both Pro-Ams this week and assisted at the traditional turtle race at Tuesday's Pro-Am party, where Fuzzy Zoeller's turtle defended his title.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.