The US’ Jeff Overton, seeking his maiden PGA Tour title, shrugged off a poor start to take a three-shot lead in the third round of the Greenbrier Classic at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia on Saturday.
Four strokes ahead of the field overnight, Overton bogeyed the second and fifth holes before recovering with five birdies on the back nine on the way to a four-under-par 66 on the Old White Course at The Greenbrier and 18-under-par total of 192.
Several blisteringly low scores were posted by some of his rivals on the rain-softened layout, with fellow American D.A. Points firing a sizzling 10-birdie 61 to vault to second, while big-hitting US Ryder Cup player J.B. Holmes produced a brilliant 60 that lifted him to a four-way tie for fourth at 12-under.
PHOTO: AFP
Double PGA Tour winner Boo Weekley was alone in third on 13-under after carding a 67.
“It was kind of a weird start, I didn’t really hit it that bad,” Overton told reporters after regaining control of the tournament with a back nine of five-under 31.
“But I played well. I missed some putts early and then a whole bunch of putts kind of fell in for me late, fortunately,” he said.
Asked what it would take for him to claim his first PGA Tour title after finishing second on three previous occasions, Overton replied: “A good round. You got to play well.”
“Somebody at 12-under right now, I’m sure one of those guys is gonna shoot 65 or better. There’s gonna be some good scores tomorrow and it’s gonna take a good score to win,” he added.
Holmes recorded 11 birdies and a lone bogey at the par-three third to end the third round level.
“I was hitting it close,” Holmes said of his lowest round on the PGA Tour. “I was definitely on with the wedges today.”
Holmes returned the fourth score of 60 or better on the US circuit in the last month, following Paul Goydos’ 59 and 60 by Steve Stricker in the John Deere Classic first round and a 60 by Carl Pettersson in the Canadian Open third round.
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