U.S. OPEN : Dillard’s Chances Slim Now : Golf: Despite a seven-over 79, he is happy to be only five shots back after struggling for years.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Two weeks ago, PGA pro Scott Verplank had a dream. A weird dream. A dream that featured his golfing buddy Andy Dillard, a 30-year-old journeyman who lost his Tour card in 1988 and does things like bet folks $100 he can swim across a lake in 35 seconds (he can’t).

The dream went like this: Dillard would qualify for the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, finish in the top 15 and by doing so, earn an invitation to the coveted Masters tournament.

Dillard’s ample belly jiggled with laughter when he heard that one.

“No, really, I did,” Verplank said, repeating the bizarre dream.

This time Dillard didn’t laugh.

“I know Scott and I know he doesn’t make anything up or lie about anything like that,” Dillard said.

Maybe not, but there is a limit to the imagination. Seriously--Dillard?

Dillard hasn’t made much of a living playing golf in recent years. There was a $34,000 paycheck in 1986, some decent finishes on the Hogan Tour and the mini-tour in Texas that barely covered expenses and some wagering successes with the members back at his home course in Edmond, Okla. Otherwise, zilch.

His take-home pay last year?

“Probably $6,000,” he said. “Maybe $7,000.”

With this as his personal backdrop, Dillard did the improbable, surviving U.S. Open qualifying tournaments in Oklahoma City and then in Memphis. Then he arrived at Pebble Beach and proceeded to shoot a four-under-par 68 on Thursday and a two-under-par 70 on Friday. Dillard wasn’t merely in the top 15, he was in the top two, only three strokes behind leader Gil Morgan at the beginning of Saturday’s round. And so what if Verplank wasn’t here; his dream was.

Of course, the dream took a slug in the hip Saturday, as Dillard staggered home with a 79. In most cases, a 79 guarantees you nothing more than an early morning starting time on Sunday, long before the leaders tee off.

But Dillard wasn’t the only one staggering. Limping right beside him was playing partner Morgan, an Edmond neighbor who checked in with a 77 and a three-day total of 217, only five strokes better than Dillard, the people’s choice.

At one point, as they walked toward the 13th tee, Dillard turned to Morgan and said, “Gil, this course is tough, but it’s not this tough. Certainly we can do better than this.”

Morgan tried. After falling from 12 under to three under, Morgan birdied No. 18 to regain the lead.

Dillard’s Open free fall never stopped. He lost three strokes to par on the front nine and another four strokes on the back.

“I just had a bad day,” Dillard said. “Gee whiz, I know some of you (reporters) misspell a word every now and then. I misspelled the entire column.”

Dillard reviewed his round. With 79 shots to remember, it took a while.

--On No. 9, a 464-yard par four that he bogeyed: “I hit my drive three inches into the rough. It was buried. It looked like somebody had jumped up and down on it for an hour.”

--On No. 11, a 384-yard par four that he bogeyed: “Whooo, that was ugly.”

--On No. 14, a 565-yard par five that he bogeyed: “That was a pretty sadistic hole today.”

--On No. 18, a 548-yard par five that he parred--barely: “Daggum, I just wanted to get to the clubhouse without bleeding to death.”

A day earlier, Mark Calcavecchia had angrily tossed his ball into the ocean after completing the 18th hole. Not Dillard. He stared at the scoreboard and happily considered the many possibilities.

“I thought, ‘Shoot, it’s pretty neat seeing your name up on there on the scoreboard . . . third round of the U.S. Open.’ It’d be nicer seeing lower numbers, but you’ve got to take everything in perspective.”

Dillard has become the Open’s version of John Daly, who emerged from nowhere (actually, Memphis) to win last year’s PGA Championship. Dillard doesn’t hit the ball as far as Daly, doesn’t smoke a cigarette a hole like Daly does and doesn’t putt as if he were late for a movie.

But Dillard, much like Daly, is a bit on the porky side. His nickname is “Bib,” but someone from the gallery keeps yelling, “Go, Bubba!” at him.

“I know the guy’s voice,” Dillard said. “He was having a few pops. I know if I was at a golf tournament spectating, I’d have a few pops, too.”

The truth is, Dillard doesn’t look like your average pro. Saturday, as he staggered to a 79, he barely looked like your average weekend hacker. But he persisted. It is his special gift.

“I had a bad day today, but I’m only five shots back,” said Dillard, who would have been playing in the Arizona Open if he hadn’t qualified for the U.S. Open. “I know from watching this thing on the television in past years, that if I can go out and get it to two or three under, you never know what will happen. In fact, if they gave me two under right now, I’d sit in the clubhouse and let them play.”