Homa, Finau, Kim tied up in 3rd round in Southern Cal
LA QUINTA » Max Homa has been tearing up the Stadium Course at The American Express for two days. If he can do it one more time Sunday, the Southern California native could be raising his second career PGA Tour trophy.
Homa made nine birdies and shrugged off a double bogey on the way to a 7-under 65 in the third round Saturday, joining Tony Finau and Si Woo Kim atop the leaderboard at 15-under 201.
Richy Werenski also shot a 65 and moved within a shot of the lead on the Stadium Course at PGA West near Palm Springs.
Scotland’s Russell Knox shot the day’s low round with a 64 — one stroke off the course record — to join Brian Harman and Emiliano Grillo at 13 under.
Finau and Kim both shot 67. Kim was bogey-free, while the streakier Finau bounced back from a double bogey on the 13th with three consecutive birdies.
The field played through sparse desert rain in the afternoon. Pre
cipitation finally fell in earnest when the final group reached the 18th hole, with Finau and Kim forced to pull out their umbrellas.
Second-round leader Sungjae Im struggled to a 73, leaving him five shots off the lead after four bogeys — including a triple bogey on the ninth after putting two straight shots in the water. First-round leader Brandon Hagy shot a 72 and was even with Im at 10 under.
Homa is in prime position for his second career win in his first tournament of the new year. He began the day just three shots off Im’s pace at 8 under, and he swiftly closed the gap with four birdies in his first five holes.
LPGA TOUR » Danielle Kang played great, tying her career low with an 8-under 63 and protecting her lead in the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Jessica Korda owned the day.
A sizzling 28 on the back nine — 9-under par — at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando lifted Korda to an 11-under 60, just one shot off the LPGA Tour scoring mark.
Kang was at 21-under 192 through three bogeyfree rounds. Her total tied an LPGA mark for raw score through 54 holes (shared by three others) and shattered the tournament’s 54-hole record (200). She will take a twoshot lead over Korda into Sunday in what sets up as a terrific shootout for the LPGA’s season opener:
Kang leads Jessica Korda by two and Nelly Korda (67) by six. South Korea’s In Gee Chun (67) sits fourth, eight shots back.
EUROPEAN TOUR » Rory McIlroy takes a one-shot lead into the final round of the season-opening Abu Dhabi Championship after posting a 5-under 67.
Former Chico High standout Kurt Kitayama sits tied for 37th at 3 under after shooting a 71. PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS » Darren Clarke won the Mitsubishi Electric Championship by two strokes for his second straight PGA Tour Champions victory, playing the back nine in 6 under in a closing 8-under 64.