Robert Allenby, who is coming off year end wins in Australia and South Africa, fired a three-under 67 to grab a share of the lead after the third round of the PGA Tour’s Sony Open.
The 38-year-old Australian is tied with American Ryan Palmer at the US$5.5 million tournament.
Allenby, who is seeking his first USPGA Tour win in almost nine years, played through the pain of a sprained ankle that he hurt on Monday before the tournament started.
PHOTO: REUTERS
He tested the ankle in Wednesday’s Pro-Am and then decided to give it a go for real on Thursday. So far the decision has paid off. He has gone 32 holes without a bogey.
The pair at 11-under 199 for a three-stroke lead over Steve Stricker (69), Davis Love (68), Troy Matteson (68) and defending champion Zach Johnson (70).
Five more players, including SBS Championship runner-up Rory Sabbatini (67) and Tom Lehman (68), were another shot back at seven-under 203.
■JOBURG OPEN
AFP, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
South African Charl Schwartzel fired a seven-under-par 64 on Saturday to take a four-stroke lead after three rounds of the Joburg Open.
The pre-tournament favorite lies on 195, 18 under par for the 6,940m Royal Johannesburg and Kensington course as he seeks back-to-back European Tour victories, having won the Africa Open in East London last weekend.
German Martin Kaymer was the last winner of consecutive tournaments on the European circuit, topping the French Open and Scottish Open leaderboards within eight days last July.
Schwartzel, a 25-year-old from Vereeniging, south of Johannesburg, holds his four-shot advantage over former Ryder Cup star Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland, who carded a 67 on the par-71 layout. South African Hendrik Buhrmann returned a 69 during a round delayed several times by bad weather to occupy third.
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