Martin leads in Las Vegas
Ben Martin birdied five straight holes on the back nine Saturday and finished with a 9-under 62 to take a two-stroke lead at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas.
Winless in 55 career starts on the PGA Tour, the 27-yearold former Clemson player matched his best score on the tour — set last year in the Zurich Classic — to get to 17-under 196 at TPC Summerlin.
Scotland’s Russell Knox, tied for the second-round lead with Andrew Putnam, was second after a 66. World Match Play: Dutchman Joost Luiten extended his unbeaten run, routing Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal 6 and 5 in the quarterfinals in Ash, England.
Luiten (4-0) had seven birdies in overcast and wet conditions at the London Golf Club to set up a semifinal match Sunday against Finland’s Mikko Ilonen, a 2-up winner over France’s Victor Dubuisson.
In the other semifinal, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, also unbeaten, will face South Africa’s George Coetzee. Stenson beat Swedish compatriot Jonas Blixt 2 up, and Coetzee topped American Patrick Reed 2 and 1.
The final is also Sunday. LPGA: South Koreans HeeKyung Bae and Kyu Jung Baek both shot 4-under 68 to share the third-round lead at the KEB-HanaBank Championship in Incheon, South Korea.
They were at 5-under 211, a stroke ahead of second-ranked ranked Inbee Park (68), No. 4 Suzann Pettersen (71), secondround leader Karine Icher (73), Brittany Lincicome (72), Beatriz Recari (72), Sandra Gal (71), In Gee Chun (69), Pornanong Phatlum (69), Yoon Kyung Heo (70) and Ilhee Lee (71).
U.S. Women’s Open champion Michelle Wie was two strokes back after birdieing four of her last five holes for a 67. She is making her first start since withdrawing during the first round of the Evian Championship in September after reinjuring a stress fracture in her right hand.
Champions Tour: Jay Haas shot a 4-under 67 to take a two-stroke lead after the second round of the Greater Hickory Kia Classic in Conover, N.C. Haas, 60, who won the event in 2005 and 2009, had a 12-under 130 on Rock Barn Golf and Spa’s Champions Course. He extended his streak of underpar rounds to 22, making five birdies and a lone bogey on No. 17.
Joe Durant, tied for the firstround lead with Haas at 63, had a 69 to drop into a tie for second with Kirk Triplett (66) and South Africa’s David Frost (65). European Tour: Australia’s Marcus Fraser birdied four of his last six holes for a 5-under 65 and a one-stroke lead at the Hong Kong Open. He had an 11-under 199 total. Fellow Australian Scott Hend was second after a 67. Second-round leader Ernie Els was tied for sixth at 8 under after a 71.