The Chicago way
Cam Smith pushes past D.J. to lead LIV tourney
SUGAR GROVE, Ill. — Australian star Cameron Smith made a pair of seven-foot birdie putts to finish off a 4-underpar 68 and overtake Dustin Johnson going into the third and final round of the LIV Golf Invitational-Chicago.
As easy as Johnson made it look in the first round, Saturday at Rich Harvest Farms was such a struggle that he shot over par for the first time in the 14 rounds the former PGA Tour star has played on the fledgling series.
Johnson, who had a 73, was lucky the deficit to Smith was only two shots. The 38-year-old American and two-time major champion came up well short of the green on the par-4 17th and had to make an eight-foot par putt, while Smith took the lead for the first time with his seven-foot birdie putt.
On their final hole at the par-5 18th, Johnson’s approach took a hard hop over the green. After a free drop from the grandstand, he chipped weakly to eight feet and missed his birdie putt. Smith was on the other side of the green, lagged a 60-footer to seven feet and holed that for another birdie.
Smith was at 10-under 134 through 36 holes in the cut-free event with a 48-man field.
They will be joined in the lead group Sunday by Peter Uihlein, the former U.S. Amateur champion whose 66 was the low round on a breezy day. He was alone in third at 7 under, a stroke ahead of Laurie Canter (68) and Charl Schwartzel (69), the 2011 Masters champion who won the inaugural LIV event in June.
Bryson DeChambeau (70), Charles Howell III (71) and Lee Westwood (71) were tied for sixth at 5 under.
Smith won the British Open at St. Andrews in July for his first major title and made $2.5 million. A victory Sunday would be worth at least $4 million; players are also paid based on how their team fares.
“It was tricky out there today,” said Smith, who at No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking is the highest-rated player to compete in the series so far. “I got a couple of breaks, and D.J. didn’t quite make the putts he usually does.”
Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, one of seven players who has been joined by LIV Golf in the antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, was 10 shots back. He spoke Friday about the need for the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to work together.
“The PGA Tour for the last 20 or 30 years have had all the best players in the world. That will never be the case again. LIV Golf is here to stay, and this type of divisive talk is doing nobody good,” he said. “The best solution is for us to come together.
“I think both are needed for the game of golf. Both are good for the game of golf. The inclusion of LIV Golf in the ecosystem of the golf world is necessary. As soon as that happens and we all start working together, that’s going to be a really positive thing for everyone.”
Fitzpatrick takes lead
GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — Even the wind couldn’t thwart Matt Fitzpatrick in the third round of the Italian Open.
The 29-year-old Englishman shot a 2-under 69 in challenging conditions at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, moving to 10-under 203 overall for a two-stroke lead entering the final round of the DP World Tour event.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who won the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup for the third time last month and finished second last weekend in the BMW PGA Championship, had a 71 as he fell out of first place and into a tie for second with England’s Aaron Rai, whose 65 included two eagles.
Fitzpatrick, who won the U.S. Open in June for his first major title, is playing the Italian Open for the seventh time and finished second in 2019. He’s seeking his ninth career win on the European circuit.
“I love coming to play the Italian Open … I love the country. I love playing golf here,” said Fitzpatrick, who held a one-stroke lead after the first round and trailed McIlroy by a shot after 36 holes. “The fans are fantastic, and to win tomorrow, yeah, would be a great feeling.”
McIlroy is playing the Italian Open for the first time because he wanted to familiarize himself with the course that will host next year’s Ryder Cup. Midway through the third round, he got to see a different side of it.
“I struggled with the putter all day, but I think, especially when the wind got up, I struggled just to sort of commit to reads, and do I play the wind, do I not play the wind,” said McIlroy, who’s currently ranked No. 3 in the world. “… Thankfully, I’m still in it.”
American golfer Kurt Kitayama (67), Australia’s Lucas Herbert (68) and France’s Victor Perez (69) were tied for fourth at 8 under.
Lower is lowest
NAPA, Calif. — Justin Lower weathered the wind and birdied the 18th hole to take a oneshot lead into the final round of the Fortinet Championship, the opening tournament of the PGA Tour’s 2022-23 season.
Lower shot a 3-under 69 to get to 13-under 203 at Silverado Resort & Spa, with his fifth birdie of the round giving him the first 54-hole lead of his career in his 29th start on the PGA Tour. Now the 33-yearold from Ohio is looking for his first victory.
Max Homa, who won last year’s tournament, and 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett of England were a shot back after each turned in a 72. South Korea’s Byeong Hun An had a 71 and was alone in fourth at 11 under, with four players within three shots of Lower’s lead.
While several in the field who went out early posted low scores in good conditions, the course got much harder as the wind picked up, and there were few birdie chances available late in the day, when players were happy with pars.
Conditions aren’t expected to be much better in the final round, which has already been altered by an ominous forecast of rain and wind. The leaders will tee off several hours earlier than scheduled, with the final round featuring threesomes off split tees.
Baylor School graduates Harris English (71) and Stephan Jaeger (73) were part of the group tied for 52nd at 4 under.