Davies ahead at Senior Women
WHEATON, Ill. — Laura Davies had an inkling something special might happen on Saturday when she hit a series of perfect 7-irons on the practice range after a morning rain softened Chicago Golf Club. The British golfer then seized a commanding five-shot lead over American Juli Inkster after three rounds of the first U.S. Senior Women’s Open with a 7-under-par round of 66.
“It’s guaranteed myself a sleepless night now, which is probably not what you want,” Davies said. “I’m not saying I’d rather be tied for the lead, but you sleep a lot better when you’re tied for the lead. It’s there for me to lose now.”
The pressure is a little less considering her low number Saturday for an 11-under 208 total. Davies birdied six holes but took control with a 65-foot twisting downhill eagle putt on the par-5 12th hole.
Until Saturday, no player had scored in the 60s over 6,088-yard Chicago Golf Club, one of the original five clubs to found the United States Golf Association. Not only did Davies do it with a women’s course record, but Inkster moved into second with a 5-under 68.
It included a 20-foot eagle putt at the 18th hole.
“I kept grinding,” Inkster said. “You know, Laura is going to be tough because she hits a few wild ones but she seems to recover. But her iron game is really on point and she made a ton of putts today.”
Inkster, who won the 2002 U.S. Women’s Open, thinks any chance to catch Davies will require perfection.
“I’m going to have to play a clean round of golf,” Inkster said. “I’m going to have to do the little things good.”
SYLVANIA, Ohio — Brooke Henderson birdied the 17th hole after a so-so back nine, finishing with a 2-under 69 to take a onestroke 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.
SILVIS, Ill. — Michael Kim took a five-shot lead Saturday 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.
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. — Defending champion Scott McCarron and Bart Bryant shot matching 65s on Saturday to move into a share of the lead with Jeff Maggert at the Constellation Senior Players Championship for a three-round total of 16-under 200 in the fourth of five majors on the Tour Champions schedule.
GULLANE, Scotland — Russell Knox mastered the windiest conditions of the week to shoot a 4-under 66 in the Scottish Open’s third round, leaving him two strokes off surprise leader Jens Dantorb (68) and one behind a six-way tie for second.