McCarron pushes toward repeat
One big push down the stretch vaulted Scott McCarron to the top of a crowded leaderboard and put him in position to capture his second straight Constellation Senior Players Championship.
If he does, he’ll join Arnold Palmer and Bernhard Langer as the only back-to-back winners of this PGA Tour Champions major.
McCarron and Bart Bryant shot matching 65s yesterday in Highland Park, Ill., to move into a share of the lead with Jeff Maggert.
McCarron birdied two of the final four holes at Exmoor Country Club for a three-round total of 16-under 200. Last year, he rallied to win the event at Caves Valley near Baltimore.
Maggert, who led most of the day, shot 66. Vijay Singh (66) was a shot back. Three-time champion Langer (67) and Illinois golf coach Mike Small (66) were another stroke behind, and Scott Parel (70) was in a group at 13-under.
McCarron came into the week with seven top-10 finishes this year and a win at the American Family Insurance Championship last month.
Kim runs like Deere
Michael Kim took a 5-shot lead at the John Deere Classic in a third round delayed twice for a total of roughly four hours because of bad weather and concerns over lightning in Silvis, Ill.
Kim, who has just one top-10 finish in 84 career PGA Tour starts, shot a 7-under 64 — closing with four straight birdies — for a threeday total of 22-under 191.
Bronson Burgoon (66) is 17 under and Australian Matt Jones (66) is 16-under. Harold Varner III (66) is alone in fourth place at 15-under.
Andres Romero of Argentina is 14-under after shooting 64, as is
Sam Ryder (67).
Hendu takes control
Brooke Henderson birdied the 17th hole after a so-so back nine, finishing with a 2-under 69 to take a 1-stroke lead at the Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio.
The late birdie moved the 20-year-old Canadian out of a tie for the lead as she seeks her second win this season. Henderson is at 11-under 202 after three rounds at Highland Meadows.
Angela Stanford and Brittany Lincicome are a stroke behind. Stanford vaulted into contention with a 6-under 65, which tied for the low round of the day. Lincicome had a 4-under 67, including birdies on two of the final three holes.
This is the fifth time in Henderson’s career she has held the 54hole lead. She went on to win on three of the four prior occasions.
Knox in hunt
Russell Knox’ glorious summer of golf continued, putting him in contention to seal back-to-back wins on the European Tour at the Scottish Open in Gullane.
Scotsman Knox mastered the windiest conditions of the week over the Gullane links to shoot a 4-under 66 in the third round, leaving him 2 strokes off surprise leader Jens Dantorb (68) and 1 behind a six-way tie for second place . . . .
In Wheaton, Ill., Laura Davies has a 5-shot lead after three rounds of the first U.S. Senior Women’s Open.
The British golfer, who is in the World Golf Hall of Fame, birdied six holes for a 7-under 66. Davies, who is at 11-under 208, took control with a 60-foot, twisting, downhill eagle putt on the par-5 12th hole.
American Juli Inkster moved into second with a 5-under 68 . . . .
San Jose Sharks captain Joe Pavelski held off a charge from three-time defending champion Mark Mulder to maintain a onepoint lead after the second round of the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament in South Lake Tahoe, Nev.