Van Pelt clings to one-stroke lead in Puerto Rico Open

Leader Bo Van Pelt of the US walks on the 11th hole during the third round of the Puerto Rico Open on Saturday at Coco Beach Golf and Country Club in Rio Grande. PHOTO: AFP

Bo Van Pelt, an American seeking his first US PGA Tour triumph, fired a one-under par 71 on Saturday and clung to a one-stroke lead after 54 holes at the Puerto Rico Open.

Van Pelt was on 13-under par 203 after three rounds of the US$2.5 million event, the first in Puerto Rico but second-best of the week as most top players are at Miami for a World Golf Championship event.

"From the outside looking in, some people say this is opposite field," Van Pelt said. "But for guys out here playing, they know a win is a win and they know how hard it is to win out here so I think it would mean a lot to anybody."

One stroke off the pace were Americans Briny Baird and Greg Kraft with American Jerry Kelly and South Africa's Brenden Pappas sharing fourth on 205. Kelly fired a 72 while Pappas, Kraft and Baird all shot 69 on Saturday.

Van Pelt, whose best PGA showings were shares of third at the 2006 Memorial and Chrysler Championship, birdied the par-5 second and fifth holes but he took bogeys at the ninth and 14th before answering with a birdie at the par-3 16th.

"I hit it really good the first eight holes [but] I had an elbow injury a couple weeks ago and I had to withdraw and it kind of flared up on me on nine," Van Pelt said.

"Yeah, a little bit more of a struggle. I felt like I hit it big coming in, the last four holes. I could have birdied the last four pretty easily. So I'm striking the ball well, I just didn't convert on the short birdie putts I had," he said.

But Van Pelt had enough to hang onto the top spot.

"Nice to be leading and not behind," he said. "All of a sudden I've got to play well tomorrow to win, just go out there and keep going forward," he said.

"Somebody is going to go low. Hopefully I just keep hitting it to the green the way I am and convert on some of those birdie putts," he said.