Langer takes 1-shot lead in Senior Players Championship
OWINGS MILLS, MD. » While Brandt Jobe was ripping up the golf course, the unflappable Bernhard Langer steadfastly remained in the hunt.
Sure enough, by the time the third round of the Constellation Senior Players Championship drew to a close Saturday, Langer’s unspectacular bogey-free 6-under 66 was good enough to put him atop the leaderboard.
Langer finished the day at 18 under, good for a one-shot lead over Jobe.
Jobe bogeyed Nos. 16 and 17 and settled for a 65. Corey Pavin (71) and Scott McCarron (69) were tied for third at 12 under.
The 59-year-old Langer trailed by two shots after Jobe birdied No. 15, but he made up three strokes over the next two holes to take control of the major tournament he’s won the last three years.
“You want to continuously play well, make very few mistakes,” Langer said. “That’s my goal. You don’t always achieve it, but so far, so good.”
Jobe was 9 under after 15 holes and very much in contention to break the Caves Valley Golf Club record of 63, set in 2005 by James Lepp in the NCAA championships.
But he made his first bogey of the day on No. 16 and followed by hitting his tee shot into the water on 17. That led to another bogey, and Langer subsequently dropped in a 10-foot birdie putt on 17 to take the lead.
“Just a stupid mistake on 16, and I kind of carried that over to 17,” Jobe said.
He will have a chance to make up for it Sunday, playing in the final twosome of the day with Langer.
“I’m going to have to play a very, very good round because I know he’s and play well,” Jobe said. going to go out
Rodgers maintains 2-stroke lead at John Deere Classic
SILVIS, ILL. » Patrick Rodgers shot a 3-under 68 on Saturday to maintain a two-stroke lead in the John Deere Classic.
Rodgers had a 16-under 197 total at TPC Deere Run. The former Stanford star is trying to become the third player in five years to win the Quad Cities event for his first PGA Tour title.
Daniel Berger shot a 63 Stallings (64) at 14 under.
Nicholas Lindheim (66) was 13 under, and Jamie Lovemark (66), Bryson DeChambeau (70) and J.J. Henry (68) were another stroke back. Area favorite Zach Johnson had a 70 to match Scott to drop five strokes back.
Poulter belies brutal conditions, shares Scottish Open lead
IRVINE, SCOTLAND » Ian Poulter moved in sight of his first title in 4½ years by belying sideways rain and strong winds to shoot a 1-under 71 at the Scottish Open, giving him a three-way share of the third-round lead on Saturday.
In the toughest weather conditions of the week on Scotland’s west coast, clubs slipped from players’ hands, hardy fans’ umbrellas were blown inside out, and puddles formed on fairways.
Poulter managed to control his swing, ball, and temperament in what he described as a “brutally tough” back nine, during which he was delighted to make only one bogey.