A birdie hat-trick propelled Steve Marino into a tie for the lead with fellow American Paul Goydos after the Barclays Classic third round on Saturday.
Marino, chasing his first PGA Tour win, knocked his ball two feet from the pin at the par-three 14th before converting putts of 11 and seven feet at the next two holes as he registered a three-under-par 68 and a nine-under total of 204.
“I think if I play well, I’ll have a good chance to win the golf tournament,” he said.
The short-hitting Goydos had three successive birdies on the front nine as he carded 68.
The duo were two shots ahead of Swede Fredrik Jacobson (68) and 24-year-old American tour rookie Webb Simpson (72), who started the day two clear of the field. Steve Stricker was a further shot back on six under par, one stroke better than fellow American Heath Slocum.
US trio Tiger Woods, Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar, Ireland’s Padraig Harrington and Briton Ian Poulter were tied for seventh on 209.
■JOHNNIE WALKER
REUTERS, GLENEAGLES, SCOTLAND
Sweden’s Peter Hedblom went to the top of the leaderboard for the second straight Saturday to take the lead after the Johnnie Walker Championship third round.
Hedblom was a four-under-par 68 for an eight-under 208, one ahead of 1999 British Open champion Paul Lawrie (73) who led for the opening two days.
Two late bogeys dropped Lawrie to seven-under, a stroke better than fellow Britons Steven O’Hara (66) and Jamie Donaldson (70), Frenchman Gregory Bourdy (71) and 2008 Ryder Cup player Soren Hansen (71) of Denmark.
Top seeds Alexander Zverev of Germany and American Coco Gauff on Tuesday advanced to the third round of the Canadian Open after both players were pushed hard by their opponents. World No. 3 Zverev, playing in his first match since his first-round loss at Wimbledon, was far from his best, but emerged with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 win over Adam Walton under the lights in Toronto. Momentum shifted firmly in Zverev’s favor when he won a 52-shot rally in the first set tiebreak and he sealed the win on a double fault by the Australian in the second set. “It was a very
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
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Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on Thursday said that he is staying with the Red Bull team next year, ending months of speculation over his future. “Some people just like to stir the pot, some people just like to create drama, but, for me, it’s always been quite clear, and also for next year,” the four-time champion said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “I’m discussing with the team already the plans — the things that we want to change for next year, so that means that I’m also staying with the team for next year,” he said. Verstappen has a contract with
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