Nick Watney fired a five-under-par 65 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Brad Fritsch after three rounds of the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship.
The US’ Watney, who won the last of his five PGA Tour titles at the 2012 Barclays, had a 54-hole total of 14-under-par 196 at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Canada’s Fritsch, who also signed for a 65, was a stroke back on 197.
Photo: AFP
Sweden’s Freddie Jacobson fired a 66 to join overnight coleader Heath Slocum on 198, while the American slipped back with a two-under 68.
Slocum needs a third-place finish in the US tour’s final regular-season tournament to qualify for the FedExCup playoffs, which start this week with the Barclays.
Scott Langley, who was tied with Slocum after 36 holes, managed a one-under 69 and slipped into a tie for fifth on 199.
Brandt Snedeker, the 2007 champion, and 2011 winner Webb Simpson both shot 66s to join Langley in filth place.
After two birdies in the first nine holes, Watney added three more birdies coming home, capping his round with a birdie at 18 that took him past early pace-setter Fritsch.
Fritsch also played without a bogey, his round highlighted by an eagle two at the par-four eighth.
Fritsch went into the weekend seeking his first PGA Tour title — and a rise from 163rd in the FedEx Cup standings into the top 125 who advance to the playoff series.
Argentina’s Andres Romero had the best round of the day: a 64 that put him in a group of six players on 200. That group also included Scotland’s Martin Laird and first-round leader Camilo Villegas of Colombia.
“I kept it pretty simple,” Watney said. “The part I liked most was that down the stretch I had to make a few putts and I was able to do it. I’m in the arena — I love to have a chance.”
Watney, 33, had a steady start with a pair of pars preceding a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-three third. He parred his next four, then landed his approach inside two feet at the eighth.
After birdies at 13 and 15, he closed his round by rolling in a 19-foot birdie putt at the last.
Fritsch’s round was highlighted by his eagle at the eighth, where he holed a wedge shot from 76 yards out and he also poured in a 57-footer for birdie at 14.
SS Lazio on Monday fired the far-right sympathizer who handles their eagle mascot after he posted online a series of videos and pictures of his erect penis. Falconer Juan Bernabe, who has been present at Lazio home matches with Olimpia the eagle since the 2010-2011 season, posted the footage on social media after having surgery on Saturday to implant a penile prosthesis to improve his sexual performance. Lazio said that they had “terminated, with immediate effect” their relationship with Bernabe “due to the seriousness of his conduct,” adding that they were “shocked” by the images. The Serie A club added that Bernabe’s dismissal
‘TOUGH TO BREATHE’: Tunisian three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur suffered an asthma attack in her 7-5, 6-3 victory over Colombia’s Camila Osorio Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei yesterday cruised into the second round of the women’s doubles at the Australian Open, while Iga Swiatek romped into a third-round women’s singles showdown with Emma Raducanu and Taylor Fritz was just as emphatic in his pursuit of a maiden Grand Slam title. Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, the third seeds, defeated Slovakia’s Tereza Mihalikova and Olivia Nicholls of Britain 7-5, 6-2 in 90 minutes in Melbourne. Ostapenko and Hsieh — who won the women’s doubles and mixed doubles at the Australian Open last year — hit 25 winners and converted five of nine break points to set
Dubbed a “motorway for cyclists” where avid amateurs can chase Tadej Pogacar up mountains teeming with the highest concentration of professional cyclists per square kilometer in the world, Spain’s Costa Blanca has forged a new reputation for itself in the past few years. Long known as the ideal summer destination for those in search of sun, sea and sand, the stretch of coast between Valencia and Alicante now has a winter vocation too. During the season break in December and January, the region experiences an invasion of cyclists. Star names such as three-time Tour de France winner Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe
AGING WELL: Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, 22, was sent packing after being dispatched by world No. 97, Laura Siegemund, the second-oldest player in the draw at 36 Novak Djokovic yesterday created a slice of Grand Slam history on his way into the Australian Open third round, but last year’s women’s finalist Zheng Qinwen was knocked out in the biggest shock so far. Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, in-form Coco Gauff, two-time Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz were all victors on a rainy day four. Play was suspended on the outside courts for a couple of hours in the early evening because of the wet weather. That led to the rescheduling of a women’s doubles match between wild-cards Tsao Chia-yi of Taiwan and Thailand’s Peangtarn Plipuech and 11th
RSS