Henley with 67 soars to three-shot lead
NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEV. » Four shots behind at the start of the day, Russell Henley ran off three straight birdies to start the back nine Saturday and posted a 5-under 67 to build a three-shot lead going into the final round of the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek.
Henley had plenty of help from the other players in his group.
Xander Schauffele, who had a three-shot lead going into the weekend, had a pair of late bogeys and failed to capitalize on the par 5s in his round of 74. Tyrrell Hatton didn’t make a birdie until the final hole in a 73. Of the top 25 players, they were the only two who shot over par.
Henley’s putting has been a great fit for the firm, glasslike greens of Shadow Creek. He leads the field in the most important putting category, and it has carried him to only the second 54-hole lead of his PGA Tour career. Henley was at 15-under 201.
Lanto Griffin, who won his first PGA Tour event a year ago at the Houston Open, found the water off the tee on the par-5 18th and made bogey and still managed a 66. He was at 12-under 204 along with Talor Gooch (69), Jason Kokrak (68) and Schauffele, still in the mix despite a sloppy Saturday.
Hatton was in the group five shots behind with Justin Thomas (68) and Jason Day, who had a 66 as the former world No. 1 tries to end more than two years without a victory.
Weir leads Mickelson
RICHMOND, VA. » The other left-handed, 50-year-old former Masters champion was on top after a long Saturday at The Country Club of Virginia.
While Phil Mickelson got most of the attention going into the Dominion Energy Charity Classic as he tries to open his senior career with consecutive victories, Mike Weir was a little better on a 36-hole day after rain washed out play Friday. The Canadian shot 68-63 to reach 13 under and take a three-stroke lead over Mickelson into the final round.
Mickelson shot 68-66. He won his PGA Tour Champions debut at Ozarks National in August.
“Having carts makes playing 36 a lot easier,” Mickelson said. “I certainly enjoyed the day and don’t feel all beat up like we normally would. I thought it went OK. I let a lot of shots go and I’m going to go work on it now,, but I’m in a good position heading into tomorrow and hopefully I’ll put together a good round.”
Fellow major champion Retief Goosen was third at
8 under with Brandt Jobe. They each shot 68-68. Bernhard Langer, the first-round leader after a 67, was 7 under with Wes Short Jr. (69
68) after a second-round 70. Ernie Els, the 50-yearold former major champion coming off his second victory of the season last week in North Carolina, shot 72
66 to get to 6 under.
Wallace opens up 3-shot lead
FIFE, SCOTLAND » English golfer Matt Wallace opened up a three-stroke lead after the third round of the Scottish Championship on the European Tour after shooting 6-under 66 on Saturday.
Wallace birdied three of his last five holes to complete a bogey-free round at Fairmont St. Andrews and pull clear of countryman Garrick Porteous.