PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Dustin Johnson and Paul Goydos could not be any more different, which is why it was so odd to see them atop the leaderboard yesterday at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am with identical scores.

On their birth certificates, Goydos is 20 years older. On the tee, Johnson is 48 yards longer.

Johnson is tall and athletic. Goydos is ... not.

Johnson overpowered Spyglass Hill for an 8-under 64 with two eagles. Goydos poked his way along the splendid coastline of Pebble Beach and birdied two of the last three holes for an 8-under 64.

They were at 18-under 196, four shots clear of anyone else heading into the final round.

"His game is a little different from mine," said Johnson, who will try to become only the fifth back-to-back winner of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and the first in 20 years. "And he finds a way to get it done."

Goydos was asked if he will simply ignore how far Johnson hits the ball off the tee.

"No, I fully panic," Goydos said. "You know, it is what it is. I don't know if 'ignore' is the right word, but you appreciate. I'm going to appreciate his play, but you go out and play your game, too. I have to do things differently than he does, and he's got to do things differently than I do."

Johnson was asked which course plays long for him. His answer came through a fixed smile.

"Not too many of 'em," he said.

J.B. Holmes and Bryce Molder each had a 68 at Spyglass Hill, while Matt Jones had a 66 on the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula. They were tied for third at 14-under 200.

Hawai'i's Parker McLachlin rallied with a 2-under 68 at the Shore Course, but his 3-under 211 made the cut (210), but the Punahou and UCLA alum won't play the final round.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

COUPLES IN ACE LEAD

NAPLES, Fla. — Fred Couples is in position for his first Champions Tour victory. He'll have to hold on to the lead at the ACE Group Classic for at least 23 holes to do it.

Couples sank a 48-foot putt from well off the green on No. 12 for eagle, then made a 12-footer for birdie on No. 13 to reach 9 under before second-round play was called due to darkness yesterday.

"You've got to keep birdieing holes," said Couples, who is playing in his first full-field event on the tour. "It's not like I can go out there and keep this lead and get in cruise control. You've got to keep plowing away. My goal is to win on this tour, and the sooner the better."

Playing partner Dan Forsman was in second place, three shots back at 6 under. The two shared the first-round lead at 4 under after finishing their first rounds earlier yesterday.

Couples is one of 38 golfers who must come back this morning to complete their second rounds at The Quarry. The tournament was pushed back after high wind suspended the first round Friday.

When the first round ended early yesterday afternoon, Couples and Forsman both finished at 4-under 68 to share the lead.

Bernhard Langer is the only one near the top of the leader board to have completed the second round. He shot 6-under 66 and is tied for third, four shots behind Couples, along with Mike Goodes, Scott Hoch, Tommy Armour III and Ronnie Black.

EUROPEAN PGA

SEVEN TIED ATOP AVANTHA

GURGAON, India — England's Richard Bland and Sweden's Fredrik Andersson Hed both shot 66s in yesterday's third round to join a seven-way tie at 11-under 205 atop the leaderboard at the Avantha Masters.

India's Rahil Gangjee (69), Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka (70), Australia's Darren Beck (70), England's Barry Lane (71) and Taiwan's Chan Yin-Shin (72) also were 11 under in the event sanctioned by the European and Asian tours and the Professional Golf Tour of India.