Merritt sinks hole-in-one, but lets Niemann back in
Troy Merritt took off his cap and briefly bowed his head to acknowledge a roaring crowd after the first ace of his PGA Tour career.
He didn’t get to enjoy the moment for long.
Merritt’s hole-in-one gave him a three-shot lead, but he gave a stroke back on the next hole with a bogey and shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday. Joaquin Niemann took advantage of the opening to share the third-round lead at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Niemann, who shared the 36-hole lead with Tom Lewis, pulled into a tie by two-putting from 46 feet at 17. He parred the final hole, the toughest one on Detroit Golf Club, for a 68.
Hank Lebioda (66) and Cam Davis (67) were a stroke back, and Brandon Hagy (68) was another shot behind. Lewis (71) was among six players three shots back with a legitimate shot on the relatively short course with receptive greens.
“The mindset will be make a few birdies, but don’t give any away,” Merritt said. “Make them work to come and get us and hopefully it’s good enough in the end.”
Rickie Fowler (68) was in a pack of 10 five shots back, while first-rounder leader Davis Thompson (72) was six shots back. After opening with a course-record tying 63, Thompson has played the last 36 holes in 1 over with rounds of 73 and 72
The 35-year-old Merritt made his first hole-in-one on the PGA Tour — from 219 yards with a 5-iron off one bounce — to give him a three-stroke advantage.
Merritt was fired up, and the fans were, too, a year after no spectators were allowed to attend the 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s awesome to have the fans back out here, whooping and hollering the good shots,” he said. “Commiserating with the bad shots and even hearing some of the comments you probably don’t want to hear.”
After his bogey, he closed with with six straight pars.
LPGA
Jin Young Ko chipped in for eagle on the par-4 15th and finished a bogey-free 32hole in near darkness with a one-stroke lead in the Volunteers of America Classic.
Ko returned to overcast and breezy Old American early in the day, playing the final 14 holes for a 1-under 70 in the suspended second round. After a rest break, the 25-year-old South Korean star shot 66 in the third round. She got up-anddown for par on the par-4 18th, chipping close after hitting over the green.
Germany’s Esther Henseleit and Finland’s Matilda Castren were tied for second. Henseleit also eagled the 15th in her 64. Castren shot 68.
Ko dropped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the world when Nelly Korda won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last week for her second straight victory, ending a run of nearly two years. Even with a victory today, Ko would remain No. 2.
PGA Tour Champions
Ernie Els opened a threestroke lead in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open, reeling off five straight birdies on the front nine in a 7-under 65.
Els birdied Nos. 2-6 at windy and rainy En-Joie Golf Club, added another on the par-4 ninth, made eight straight pars and closed the bogey-free round with a 15foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th to get to 11-under 133.
“I hit a lot of greens and when I hit the greens, I made some putts, so that was a good key for me,” Els said. “The conditions were quite tough. Rain and wind kind of came and went so you kind of had to keep the ball in front of you.”
Making his first appearance in the event, the 51-year-old South African star is in position for his third PGA Tour Champions victory after winning twice last season. He has four major titles, the last in the 2012 British Open.
Cameron Beckman (69) was second, followed by Darren Clarke (68) and Miguel Angel Jimenez (69) at 7 under.
PGA Europe
Australian Lucas Herbert stayed on course for a wireto-wire victory at the Irish Open after shooting 2-under 70 in the third round for a one-stroke lead.
Herbert led by three shots after making four birdies in his opening 10 holes, but bogeys at Nos. 11 and 14 brought the field back into contention at Mount Juliet.
Johannes Veerman was the nearest challenger, the No. 350-ranked American shooting 67 to move onto 14 under par for the event.
Justin Harding was a further two strokes back after a 65, the lowest round of the day.