Reuters, DUBLIN, Ohio
US journeyman Spencer Levin stole the limelight from four-times champion Tiger Woods at the Memorial tournament on Saturday, twice chipping in to grab a one-shot lead in the wind-buffeted third round.
In pursuit of his first USPGA Tour victory, Levin survived a few anxious moments on the back nine to card a three-under par-69 and take control of the event hosted by golfing great Jack Nicklaus.
Photo: AFP
The 27-year-old shrugged off bogeys at the 12th and 16th, then sank a clutch par putt from 14 feet at the 17th to post an eight-under total of 208 at Muirfield Village Golf Club.
Overnight pacesetter Rory Sabbatini of South Africa returned a 71 to finish at seven-under, two better than American Rickie Fowler, who birdied two of the last four holes for a 69.
Woods, who briefly led by one shot early in the third round, was alone in fourth at four-under, recording four bogeys after the turn for a 73 as winds gusted up to 56kph.
“I had my opportunities to move up that board,” Woods said greenside after covering the back nine in three-over 39. “I missed a few putts that I should have made. I’m only four back, but I’ve still got a lot of work to do tomorrow.”
Woods made a fast start to the third round, sinking a 22-foot birdie putt from the fringe of the green at the par-four first to join Sabbatini in a two-way tie at the top.
Moments later, Woods held the outright lead when Sabbatini bogeyed the opening hole after finding a greenside bunker with his approach.
Woods was briefly caught by Levin and Sabbatini before Levin took control, chipping in from greenside rough to eagle the par-five fifth and grab a two-shot lead.
The chain-smoking Levin forged three ahead after hitting a superb approach to five feet at the par-four sixth and calmly sinking the birdie putt.
Though Levin had his lead cut to one after he bogeyed the seventh where Woods had birdied, he never relinquished control.
Out in four-under 32, he chipped in from 30 yards to birdie the par-four 10th and stretch his lead to four shots, Woods having bogeyed the hole playing one group ahead.
Levin stumbled at the treacherous par-three 12th, where he was bunkered off the tee, and also at the 16th where he missed the green, but he parred the last two holes to stay in front.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
RSS