Anthony Kim and Bryce Molder survived their share of errant shots on Saturday to share the third-round lead at the Houston Open.
Kim was in all kinds of trouble off the tee, hitting just three of 14 fairways. But his putting helped him shoot a three-under 69 for a 10-under total of 206.
Overnight leader Molder had four bogeys and five birdies in a 71 and saved par after hitting into the water at 18 to preserve his share of the lead.
They were two strokes in front of Americans Vaughn Taylor and Joe Ogilvie.
Taylor and Ogilvie both bogeyed 18, Taylor finishing with a 70 and Ogilvie a 71.
England’s Lee Westwood fired a 72 to head a group on 209, where he was joined by local resident Jeff Maggert (70) and Canadian Graham DeLaet (71).
After winds gusted up to 30 mph in the first two rounds, players had only light breezes to contend with on a Tournament Course at Redstone set up to simulate conditions that will be found at the first major championship of the year at Augusta National this week.
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington carded a 72 and was in a group on 210 that also included Australian Cameron Percy (74) and South African Charl Schwartzel (67).
Kim’s troubles included a poor drive at the par-four 12th, which he followed by flopping a wedge to within a foot of the hole despite an awkward stance.
With a pond on the other side of the green, Kim said he knew the shot had to be good.
“I told my caddie, ‘If I don’t hit this perfectly, it’s going to go 50 yards in the water,”’ Kim said.
He hooked another tee shot on 17, then hit his approach out of the rough to three feet. Kim salvaged a par from behind the green at the last, chipping down the hill and making an eight-footer.
“There were some spots today, I don’t know how I got out,” he said. “But I was happy to go ahead and hit some lucky shots and good shots, and get away with it.”
Kim boasts a runner-up finish this year — to Camilo Villegas at the Honda Classic — But he hasn’t held or shared the third-round lead since last year’s Canadian Open, when he finished third.
“I’ve got enough bad breaks this year, where I feel they’re going to turn around if I have a good attitude,” Kim said. “I’ve had a good attitude this whole year. Some breaks are going to come my way and if they do, I’ll welcome those.”
Molder had three bogeys on the front nine, but got back on track when he birdied two of the first three holes after the turn.
“Luckily, my putter kind of held me in there,” Molder said. “I always kind of know that if I can just kind of get it going the direction I want it to go, then I’m usually going to be OK.”
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