McCarron, Maggert, Bryant tied for Senior Players lead
HIGHLAND PARK, ILL. » 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 on Saturday 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 one shot back. Threetime champion Langer (67) and Illinois golf coach Mike Small (66) were another stroke behind.
McCarron came into the week with seven top-10 finishes this year and a win at the American Family Insurance Championship last month.
“The only way to repeat is you’ve got to put yourself in position going into the final round, which I’ve done,” he said. “(Sunday) will be very exciting. We’ve got a stacked leaderboard, and someone is going to have to go pretty low tomorrow to win this tournament.”
It’s the first time three players have been tied for the lead entering the final round of a major since the 2011 U.S. Senior Open, when eventual winner Russ Cochran was even with Mark Calcavecchia and David Frost.
Davies shoots 66 to take lead
WHEATON, ILL. » Laura Davies has a five-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 as she shot a 7-under 66. Davies, who is at 11-under 208 for the tournament, took control with a 60-foot, twisting, downhill eagle putt on the par-5 12th hole.
Until Saturday, no player had scored in the 60s over the par-73, 6,088-yard Chicago Golf Club. Not only did Davies do it with a women’s course record, but American Juli Inkster moved into second with a 5-under 68. Inkster finished her round with a 20-foot eagle putt on No. 18.
Henderson up 1
SYLVANIA, OHIO » Brooke Henderson birdied Bronson Burgoon hits to the eighth green during the third round of the John Deere Classic on Saturday in Silvis, Ill.
the 17th hole after a so-so back nine, finishing with a 2-under 69 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead at the Marathon Classic.
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 one stroke behind.
Kim takes 5-shot lead
SILVIS, ILL. » Michael Kim took a five-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.
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 three-day total of 22-under 191.
Bronson Burgoon (66) is 17 under and Australian Matt Jones (66) is 16 under.
Knox two back
GULLANE, SCOTLAND » Russell Knox mastered the windiest conditions of the week over the Gullane links to shoot a 4-under 66 in the third round of the Scottish Open, leaving him two strokes off surprise leader Jens Dantorb (68) and one behind a six-way tie for second place in the event used as a tune-up for next week’s British Open.
The Scotsman doesn’t want this summer to end. After placing 12th at the U.S. Open last month for his best finish at a major, Knox was runner-up at the French Open and then won the Irish Open last week thanks to consecutive 40-foot birdie putts on the 72nd hole and first playoff hole.
Now, he’s got a great chance to win his home championship, a week before head-