Four to the fore
Hatton, ancer, Simpson and Palmer share lead
Britain’s Tyrrell Hatton closed with a 24-foot birdie putt to finish among four co-leaders after the third round of the US PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage tournament.
Mexico’s Abraham Ancer and Americans Webb Simpson and Ryan Palmer shared the lead entering the final round of the Tour’s second event after a three-month coronavirus hiatus.
Hatton fired a bogey-free eight-under 63 on Saturday to stand on 15-under 198 after 54 holes at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Hatton said he hadn’t felt comfortable over the layout but breezed through on Saturday.
“I’ve been lucky with where some of my misses ended up and I’ve really putted well, which is a big surprise,” Hatton said.
“Hopefully I feel comfortable tomorrow and hit some good shots.”
The 28-year-old Englishman won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March at Bay Hill in the last completed event before the Tour’s threemonth coronavirus shutdown began.
Hatton birdied four of the first five holes, opening with a 40-foot birdie putt and two-putting from 35 feet for another birdie at the parfive second.
He made a 10-foot birdie putt at the fourth, a 12-footer to birdie the par-five fifth and closed the front nine with a seven-foot birdie putt.
Hatton, a four-time winner on the European Tour, sizzled with the putter on the back nine as well, holing birdie putts from 13 feet at the par-three 14th and 10 feet at the par-four 16th before his dramatic close.
Ancer shot 65, starting with birdies on three of the first five holes, all from four feet or less. He began the back nine with a threefoot birdie putt and followed a 15-foot birdie putt at 13 with his lone bogey at the par-three 14th after missing the green. He answered with birdies at 15 and 16.
“Feel like I’m not making anything,” Ancer said.
“I made maybe two putts outside four feet. I’m hitting the ball really well. I need a lot of patience, do the same thing, and hopefully they all fall in
tomorrow.” Palmer, sharing the lead entering the last round for the first time since 2011, shot 66 with five birdies from inside seven feet and a 16-footer at the 10th. His lone bogey came at the third when he found a greenside bunker and missed a six-foot par putt.
“I hit it pretty well,” Palmer said. “Overall, I’m excited. I still haven’t played my best round 1-18. Maybe tomorrow will be the day.”
Simpson, the 2012 US Open winner, was the 36-hole leader after back-to-back 65s but could only muster 68, making a five-foot putt at the par-five 15th his lone backnine birdie.
“I hit a few good putts that didn’t go in,” Simpson said. “Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be on the correct side of the hole.”
One stroke behind the co-leaders were Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz and Americans Joel Dahmen and Daniel Berger, who won last week at Colonial in the Tour’s virus comeback event. He birdied two of the last three holes to shoot 63.
“Winning last week definitely helps,” Berger said. “It gives you some extra confidence. I’m putting really well. I’m not exactly hitting the ball well but I’m getting up and down when I’ve had to.
“If I have another good round tomorrow, I think I’ll be right up there.” World number one Rory McIlroy, who followed an opening 72 with a 65 and 66, stood in a pack five back on 203.
“The last two days I’ve hit it better. I’ve been a little more comfortable over my shots,” McIlroy said. “I’m going to have to shoot 62, 63 to have a chance.”