Greg Sharp eagled the ninth hole, hit 15 of 17 greens in regulation and nearly hit every fairway Saturday at the Lawrence Golf Assn.’s Big Event.

That was before he played the par-4 18th hole.

Sharp, 48, hit driver off the last hole, but the fairway got more narrow with distance. The already long-driving Sharp was trying to blast the golf ball into a small area. Instead, he put it out of bounds and made 8, leaving him seven shots behind the leader of the men’s city championship, Conrad Roberts.

Phil Mickelson’s questionable decision to hit driver on the last hole cost him the U.S. Open last month. Although Sharp wasn’t playing in a PGA Tour event, you could tell it ruined his day as well.

“I played fantastic, but I made one mistake, and it cost me quadruple,” Sharp said. “If I would have hit a 2-iron, I’m not likely going to hit my 2-iron way right.”

Sharp said he was more likely to make this type of aggressive decision when he was in his mid-20s and not as experienced. Sharp’s play was nearly flawless for the majority of the day. It looked like a flashback to 24 years ago when Sharp was in his 20s – he won the event in 1982.

Much like Mickelson, Sharp counts on par 5s as birdie holes – or in the case of Saturday, eagle holes. Sharp’s 300-yard drive along the ninth fairway set him up for an approach shot that reached the green. He hit a 3-iron within four feet and drained the putt.

“My objective coming out today was to hit fairways and greens, and I did,” Sharp said. “You just can’t make that mistake. I don’t think I’ve had a quadruple bogey all year.”

Roberts’ score of 68 was the best round of the day, two strokes better than second-place Levi Oxford. As for Sharp’s dreaded 18th hole? This decision was easy.

“Every time I play 18, I hit 2-iron,” Roberts said. “With my 2-iron, I can just get it running, and it’s a safe shot for me. Just like the rest of the day, I just played within myself and tried to keep it in play.”

If there’s an opposite to Sharp’s long-driving style of play, it would be Roberts.

“I didn’t really go for any big tee shots on the tight holes,” Roberts said. “I just kept it in play and hit some good iron shots.”

Roberts, 31, has experience playing in Lawrence. He grew up in Wales, but moved to Lawrence in 1997 to be a part of the KU golf team. He was on the team that won the Big 12 Tournament in 1999. Roberts will be at his home course – Alvamar Golf and Country Club – when stroke play concludes today.

As for Sharp, he said he’d rely on his experience when looking to today’s final round.

“I’ve played more tournament golf than anyone here, I’m sure,” Sharp said.