LEHMAN LURKING; HIS THIRD-ROUND 68 PUTS HIM IN POSITION TO CHASE STEWART.

Byline: Karen Crouse Daily News Staff Writer

Ho hum, another U.S. Open, another final-day, final-group pairing. For Tom Lehman it's getting to be as predictable as the contents of all those long, wrapped, rectangular boxes that so many dear old dads will be tearing open today.

A tie for Father's Day? If you're Lehman, you're thinking: Please, no, not another one like the tie for second in 1996. And, for that matter, no more solo third-place finishes, either, like in 1995 and 1997.

Lehman has gone into the final round of the U.S. Open with the lead each of the last three years and lost. He has seen one of the four greatest gifts in professional golf slip through his fingers. The title eluded him by three shots in 1995, by one shot in 1996 and by two shots last year.

``My goal (today) is not to beat myself,'' said Lehman, who, for a change, has something to chase down the stretch other than his own demons.

The snakebit 1996 British Open champion heads into today's final round tied for second with Bob Tway after equaling the low score of the third round Saturday with a 2-under-par 68.

This time the pole position and all the pressure belong to Lehman's playing partner Payne Stewart. He opened Saturday with an eagle-3, closed it with three straight pars and in between took whatever the Olympic Club's stingy Lake Course would give him to tack on a 70 to his earlier rounds of 66 and 71. His 54-hole total of 207 is four better than Lehman and Tway, who shot a 73.

Nick Price followed a second-round 68 with a 71 to stand tied for fourth with Lee Janzen (73). It made for some leaderboard as all four of the players directly behind Stewart - Lehman, Tway, Price and Janzen - have won a major.

Then there's Jim Furyk, who has come oh-so-close to winning his first Grand Slam title, finishing no worse than sixth in the past four majors. He carded a 68, same as Lehman, and is eight shots back, at 215.

Like Lehman, Stewart is treading in familiar territory. He led after three rounds of the 1991 U.S. Open at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Lehman's home state of Minnesota. The experience ended well for Stewart, albeit belatedly, as he defeated Scott Simpson in a Monday playoff.

Since lassoing his first-and-only major, Stewart, 41, has won only once on the PGA Tour (the 1995 Houston Open). He is the first to admit his priorities have changed over the past few years, with family supplanting golf as his abiding passion.

He has trimmed his tournament schedule to make time for his two children, Chelsea, 12, and Aaron, 9. Stewart wants to be there for them, as much as he can, just as his late father was for him.

Phil Stewart was a good enough golfer to compete as an amateur in the 1955 U.S. Open on the same Olympic Club course Stewart has, to this point, hog-tied. The elder Stewart didn't fare nearly as well, shooting rounds of 83 and 88 to miss the cut.

Of course, as Bee Stewart felt compelled to point out to her son Saturday, the rough 43 years ago was knee-high, instead of ankle deep. Given that Stewart missed seven of 14 fairways Saturday, he should give thanks for small blessings.

While he is at it, Stewart should kiss his putter; aside from the most-replayed putt of the tournament (his 3-putt on the diabolical 18th Friday), Stewart has been able to conquer all the greens in two strokes or less.

He vowed to play the course the same way today as he has all week. He'll leave the prevent defense to his beloved Dallas Cowboys and aim for the flag, but only when there's a clear opening. That was the case on No. 1 when he hit a driver off the tee, a 5-iron second shot to 20 feet and made the putt.

``If I think that I've played these first three rounds using smoke and mirrors, I'm kidding myself,'' Stewart said. ``There's no reason to not think I'm going to come out and play good golf (today). If I come out and let the situation intimidate me, then that's my fault.''

Lehman has beat himself up over his near misses some, but not much. He, more than most, has a firm grasp of what's really important, which is why he could be found after his round on the practice range, stopping between swings to watch his 8-year-old daughter Rachael hit golf balls with his 5-iron.

Later Saturday night Lehman, who was an assistant pro at Wood Ranch when he played in the 1987 Open here, planned to take in a movie with his wife Melissa and their three children. In case you're curious, it wasn't ``Groundhog Day.''

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1--Color) The past three years, Tom Lehman owned the lead entering the final round of the U.S. Open. Today, he'll play catch-up against Payne Stewart.

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

(2) Tiger Woods, who shot a 71 and is 7-over-par for the tournament, reacts to a birdie on the first hole.

Bob Larson/Contra Costa Times

(3--Color) Third-round leader Payne Stewart

BOX: THIRD-ROUND LEADERS