Davies gets hot at Open
Long-driving Brit leads seniors by 5
Laura Davies had an inkling something special might happen 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 fiveshot lead over American Juli Inkster after three rounds of the first U.S. Senior Women’s Open in Wheaton, Ill., with a 7-under round of 66. Davies was at 11 under overall.
“It’s there for me to lose now.”
Missie Berteotti, from Upper St. Clair, was tied for 19th at 4 over after a thirdround 77.
Davies birdied six holes, but took control with a 65foot, twisting, downhill eagle putt on the par-5 12th hole.
“Had to be 65, 70 feet, but it had about 4 feet of break one way and about 3feet of break back the other way,” Davies said. “I walked back and forth and I walked up and I looked at the crowd and I just said, ‘has anyone got a clue what this is going to do?’”
Davies’ long driving normally provides an edge, but the dried-out greens and fairways had made shot placement difficult in the first two rounds. Then it rained Saturday morning.
“We were very lucky,” Davies said. “This is one of the hardest golf courses I’ve played. But when it’s soft like that, you do feel like if your irons are on, you’ve got a chance to make lots of birdies.”
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.”
John Deere Classic
Michael Kim took a fiveshot lead Saturday, shooting a 7-under 64 — closing with four consecutive birdies — for a three-day total of 22-under in Silvis, Ill. Kim has just one top-10 finish in 84 career PGA Tour starts. Bronson Burgoon (66) is 17 under and Australian Matt Jones (66) is 16 under. The third round was delayed twice for a total of roughly four hours because of bad weather and concerns about lightning. Indiana, Pa., native Steve Wheatcroft, who went to Trinity High School in Washington County, was tied for 12th after a 71. He was the first-round leader.
Marathon Classic
Brooke Henderson birdied the 17th hole after a so-so back nine, finishing with a 2under 69 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead in Sylvania, Ohio. 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 11under 202 after three rounds at Highland Meadows. “I made some birdies but I made some bogeys. I didn’t hit it how I normally hit it, so I kind of grinded it out as best I could, and that’s good. That’s a good sign when you can still shoot under par and not hit it very well,” Henderson said.
Angela Stanford and Brittany Lincicome were one stroke behind. Stanford vaulted into contention with a 6-under 65, which tied for the low round of the day.
Scottish Open
Scot Russell Knox mastered the windiest conditions of the week over the Gullane links to shoot a 4under 66 in the third round, leaving him two strokes back of surprise leader Jens Dantorb (68) and one behind a six-way tie for second place in Gullane, Scotland. American Rickie Fowler shot 66 and was in the tie for second. After placing 12th at the U.S. Open a month ago, Knox was runner-up at the French Open and then won the Irish Open last week thanks to consecutive 40foot birdie putts on the 72nd hole and first playoff hole.