Perez extends lead to 4
Pat Perez turned in an 8-underpar 64 yesterday at the third round of the PGA Tour’s CIMB Classic to open up a 4-shot lead over closest rival Xander Schauffele in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The American, who led by a single stroke coming into the day, turned on the style on the back nine with six birdies, giving him nine for the day against just one bogey. After three rounds, Perez is on 21-under 195.
“These guys are so good and you can make so many birdies out there so fast and I know that,” said Perez. “So if I can get another six (birdies) tomorrow, I might be tough to catch.”
Schauffele remained within sight of his compatriot after a 5-under 67 — including an eagle on the 10th — while South Korea’s Sung Kanghoon is a shot away after a 7-under 65.
Defending champion Justin Thomas’ chances appear over after he finished the day tied 24th at 6 under, despite posting his best round with a 69.
The American had a double bogey on the par-5 fifth hole but recovered with a flurry of birdies and an eagle on No. 16.
Clear skies at TPC Kuala Lumpur brought out the best from Whee Kim with a hole-in-one on the 199-yard, par-3 15th. The South Korean won a BMW hybrid vehicle. “(I) landed perfect and thought ‘Oh made it, it’s going to go in,’” Kim said.
Ko in fine shape in S. Korea
In Incheon, South Korea, Jin Young Ko fired a bogey-free 6-under 66 to take a 2-shot lead after the third round of the KEB Hana Bank Championship.
The South Korean carded six birdies on the Ocean Course, including two in her last three holes, to post a 15-under total of 201. Compatriots Sung Hyun Park and In Gee Chun both shot 68 and are tied for second at 13-under 203.
“My iron shots today were really strong so I was able to make a lot of birdie chances for myself,” said Ko, a nine-time winner on the local KLPGA Tour.
Park, looking for her third LPGA Tour victory of the year, played solid golf for most of the third round with five birdies and a sole bogey in her first 17 holes. She did well to salvage par at the last after pushing her drive way right into a hazard and having to take a penalty drop.
“Overall, I’m quite pleased with my game today,” said Park, who has a mathematical chance of taking over at the top of the Rolex Rankings with a win today. “I finished 4-under on the front nine. I thought I would keep the momentum on the back nine, but my putting was a little bit off compared to the front nine.”
Lizette Salas of the United States offset a lone bogey with five birdies for a 68 and was in sole possession of fourth place.
Brooke Henderson moved into contention with a bogey-free 68 and is tied for eighth, 5 strokes off the lead.
Price, Monty, Kelly all tied
Phillip Price, Colin Montgomerie and Jerry Kelly shared the secondround lead at 8-under 136 in the PGA Tour Champions’ SAS Championship in Cary, N.C.
Price and Montgomerie shot 67s at Prestonwood Country Club in the 50-and-over tour’s regular-season finale. Kelly birdied four of his last six holes to shoot 68 and join them atop the leaderboard.
Five players were a stroke back: Tom Byrum, Vijay Singh, Doug Garwood, Corey Pavin and Glen Day. Byrum shot a 66 while the rest had 68s.
Wallace atop Italian Open
Matt Wallace held a 2-stroke lead after the third round of the Italian Open as the Englishman seeks a wire-to-wire victory in Monza, Italy.
Defending champion and home favorite Francesco Molinari stood 2 strokes back along with Tyrrell Hatton, last week’s winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.