SIMPSON PUSHES PLAYERS LEAD TO SEVEN STROKES

Ponte Vedra Beach ( US), May 13: Webb Simpson will take a record sevenshot lead into the final round of the Players Championship after a four- under 68 on Saturday gave him 54- hole total of 19- under 197.

Simpson’s three- round total matched the tournament record set by Australian Greg Norman in 1994 en route to a fourstroke victory.

Simpson had been five strokes clear of three players after his secondround 63. With just 18 holes remaining in the $ 11 million tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Simpson was seven clear of New Zealand’s Danny Lee, who carded a 70 for 204.

World number one Dustin Johnson birdied three of his closing six holes in a 69 to grab third place on 206. Former world no. 1 Jason Day of Australia was in a group of five on 207 — but the tournament is Simpson’s to lose.

Hours after Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth charged up the leaderboard with morning 65s that moved them to eightunder, Simpson showed now sign of bowing to pressure from any quarter.

He declared his intentions with a birdie at the first and then another at the fourth to get to 17under.

Simpson produced his shot of the day at the parfive 11th, where he sent his second shot some 33 yards past the hole and into a rear greenside bunker.

SHARMILA FINISHES T- 16 IN HONG KONG In Hong Kong, Sharmila Nicollet turned in her best round of the week at two- under 70 and improved significantly to finish tied 16th in the Ladies Hong Kong Open.

Vani Kapoor ( 71) also improved from T- 48 to T29, finishing the week at 2- over 218 with rounds of 76- 71- 71. Thailand’s Lag ku lg a set tr in Saranporn produced a stunning 8- under 64 on the final day and rose from T- 12 to the top. She defeated Chen Szu Han ( 69) in the playoff to win the title, with a total of 11under 205.