BROOKE FALLS TO SIXTH
CP Women’s Open winner shoots disappointing 74 as Britain’s Hall pulls away from Minjee Lee
PORTLAND, Ore. — Georgia Hall pulled away from
Minjee Lee late in the third round Saturday to take a twostroke lead in the Cambia Portland Classic.
The Women’s British Open winner four weeks ago for her first LPGA Tour title, Hall shot a 3-under 69. She birdied the par-3 16th and par-4 17th and made a 6-foot par save on the par-4 18th at treelined Columbia Edgewater.
“Sixteen and 17 are tough holes, especially with both pin positions, so I was very happy to hole some putts that I didn’t really hole much today,” Hall said. “I’ve got a two-shot lead. Still a lot of golf to play, but looking forward to tomorrow.”
The 22-year-old Englishwoman had an 18-under 198 total. She opened with a 66 and shot 63 on Friday.
“I definitely putted yesterday like I did at the British,” Hall said. “Hopefully, I’ll putt like that tomorrow, as well. But I still kind of feel the same, and I’m just looking forward to playing another round of 18 holes.”
Lee had a 68. The Australian lost a share of the lead with a bogey on 17.
“Just tried to play my game,” Lee said. “I felt like I played pretty solid all day. Probably had one bad drive on 17 that really cost me my bogey.” Marina Alex was third at 12 under, shooting her second 71 after opening with a 62.
“It was firm today,” Alex said. “The greens were really firm. The last like six holes, it was tough to just get at the flags. Once you got past 12 it’s hard to get it close. I hit really good putts, too, and it was just a lot of lips. But hoping to just have a really great day and see what happens.”
Brittany Marchand (70) and Ayako Uehara (70) were 10 under.
Brooke Henderson had a 74 to fall into a tie for sixth at 7 under. The Canadian star, the 2015 and 2016 winner at Columbia Edgewater, won the CP Women’s Open last week on home soil in Saskatchewan.
DELL CHAMPIONSHIP
NORTON, Mass. — The putt is one that Webb Simpson never practices enough. He wasn’t sure it even required his putter. He worked it to perfection. From just over 70 feet away off the green on the par-5 18th, Simpson rolled in the eagle putt for an 8-under 63 to take a one-shot lead Saturday at the halfway point of the Dell Technologies Championship.
“You just kind of laugh at those because you’re not trying to make them, you’re just trying to get them close,” Simpson said.
“The grass around the greens is firm enough to where the ball runs pretty smoothly. I didn’t like my lie to chip it. I decided to putt it, and it came off really nice, just how I wanted it.”
A gorgeous Saturday in New England allowed for low scoring at the TPC Boston.
Tyrrell Hatton of England had eight birdies with his store-bought putter for a 63 and was one shot behind, along with Justin Rose (67). Tommy Fleetwood made it a trio of Englishman near the top with his 65, leaving him three shots behind. Tiger Woods got into the act, too.
Woods only once came close to bogey, making a 12-foot par putt on the par-3 11th hole, and gave himself ample opportunities in his round of 66.
It was an important day to move forward with conditions ripe for scoring, though he still was seven shots behind Simpson.
“I’ve got some work to do still,” Woods said. “This is a golf course you can’t sit still on. You have to keep making birdies. You have to keep getting after it. Conditions are going to be like this the rest of the weekend. You’re going to see plenty of birdies out there.”
Simpson was at 11-under 131, worth little more than pole position going into the final two days before the Labour Day finish.
Ten players were assured of their season ending by missing the cut, meaning they will not finish among the top 70 to advance to the third event in the FedEx Cup playoffs next week outside Philadelphia.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
CALGARY — Joe Durant eagled the final hole at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club to move atop the Shaw Charity Classic leaderboard.
Durant also had six birdies and one bogey on Saturday during his round of 7-under 63 to take the outright lead at 11 under through two rounds of play at the PGA Tour Champions event.
Rod Spittle, of Niagara Falls, Ont., carded a round of 1-under 69 and is in a group of five golfers who are tied for 10th spot at 5 under. Vancouver’s Stephen
Ames is well back in a tie for 61st spot at 3 over after shooting 72 on Saturday, while Calgary’s Steve Blake is even further back in a tie for 71st following a round of 7-over 77.