Munoz takes 1-shot lead at John Deere
Golfer stays clean on back nine after two early bogeys
Sebastian Munoz of Colombia had a 4-under 67 on Saturday for a one-shot lead going into the final round of the John Deere Classic that feels as though it’s just getting started.
Rain overnight and more during the third round left the TPC John Deere soft and prone to low scoring, and just about everyone took advantage.
Munoz overcame two early bogeys by keeping a clean card on the back nine. He took the lead with a tee shot into 6 feet on the par-3 16th hole and was at 16-under 197.
He led by one shot over Brandon Hagy, who is still looking for his first PGA Tour victory in his 93rd career start. Hagy also had a67.
Five players were two shots behind, a group that included Scott Brown, who had a 63 to match the low score of the round. Adam Long (64), Cameron Champ (64), Kevin Na (66) and Ryan Moore (68) joined him at 14-under 199.
LPGA: Nasa Hataoka opened a six-stroke lead in the Marathon LPGA Classic, birdieing four of the last five holes for a 7-under 64. A month after losing a playoff to Yuka Saso in the U.S. Women’s Open at Olympic Club, Hataoka has led wire-to-wire at Highland Meadows to put herself in position for her fourth LPGA Tour victory. Hataoka had a tournament-record 19-under 194 total. Americans Elizabeth
Szokol (67) and Mina Harigae (66) are 13 under.
European PGA: Thomas Detry and Matt Fitzpatrick took alternative routes to a tie for the third-round lead at the Scottish Open. Surrounded by vacated and scattered bar benches beside a grandstand at the back of the 17th green, Detry somehow got up and down for one of eight straight pars coming home in a 3-under 68 at The Renaissance Club. Joining the Belgian at 14 under overall for the tournament was Fitzpatrick, whose own lucky break came at the par-3 14th when he overhit his tee shot — only to see the ball ricochet off a stone wall and back onto the green. He missed the short birdie putt but picked up two shots in his final three holes for a 67. They were a stroke clear of top-ranked Jon Rahm.
Champions: Jim Furyk overcame a mid-round lull following the second of two weather delays and moved closer to winning his first senior major title. The 51-year-old takes a four-shot lead into the final round of the U.S. Senior Open after shooting a 4-under 66 to get to 8-under 202 at Omaha Country Club.
Notes: Matthew Wolff was among three more players who have withdrawn from the British Open next week at Royal St. George’s. The R&A did not list a reason for Wolff withdrawing. The No. 35 player in the world, he took 10 weeks off to clear his head, returning at the U.S. Open and tying for 15th. He then played the next two weeks. Danny Lee, who pulled out of the John Deere Classic on Friday, withdrew because of injury. K.H. Lee withdrew because of the birth of his child. They were replaced in the field by Andy Sullivan of England, Antoine Rozner of France and Troy Merritt of the U.S. Merritt lost in a playoff last week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Celebrity: Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz eagled the par-5 18th hole to take a two-point lead over Vinny Del Negro into the final round of the American Century Championship.