The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cink relishes being back in contention
2009 British Open champ regains form after wife recovers.
Stewart Cink felt the familiar emotions and butterflies and savored every minute of it Saturday.
He had some great moments and tough ones at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn., making five birdies and four bogeys on the way to a 1-under 69. Now he’s in a three-way tie with Rafa Cabrera Bello and Ben Crane for the lead at the St. Jude Classic after three rounds.
Win or lose on today, the 44-year-old Cink is relishing his status as a contender, especially after all the personal and professional adversity he and his family have been through over the past few years.
“It’s a moment you don’t really get to experience that often, even if you’ve played on the Tour for 21 years,” Cink said. “This may only happen a handful of times. Maybe a few more. So it’s a really sweet feeling.”
Cink has gradually improved his game since missing several weeks last year to help care for his wife Lisa, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer. He qualified for the U.S. Open on Monday in Ohio and has now had three solid rounds at the par-70 TPC Southwind course to be in the hunt for his first victory since winning the 2009 British Open.
Cink said Lisa is at the course this weekend and her health is good.
The six-time PGA Tour winner wasn’t very competitive from 2014 to 2016, with just one top-10 finish during those three years. But he’s enjoyed quite the resurgence this season, with two top 10s and eight top 25s in 18 events.
Now he’s got a real chance to add his seventh victory.
“I’m probably not supposed to be doing this,” Cink said. “But I don’t really care about that. My golf ball doesn’t know how old I am.”
Cabrera Bello shot a 65 and Crane — who won the St. Jude Classic in 2014 — shot a 68 to join Cink at 9-under 201 for the tournament.
Cabrera Bello, a 33-yearold from Spain, has four international victories, but none on the PGA Tour.
LPGA Tour: Lexi Thompson shot a 67 for a 17-under 199 total and a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Manulife LPGA Classic in Cambridge, Ontario.
Fellow American Lindy Duncan was in second after a 67, followed by South Korea’s In Gee Chun (68) another shot back.
Champions Tour: Brandt Jobe shot a 6-under 66 to take a share of the lead following the second round of the Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines, Iowa. Jobe and Glen Day will enter today’s final round at 11-under 133.
Jobe has never won on the senior tour. Day shot a 67 and made birdie on No. 18 to join Jobe atop the leaderboard.
European Tour: Felipe Aguilar of Chile retained a two-stroke lead after the third round of the Lyoness Open. Leading from the opening day, the 399th-ranked Aguilar is chasing his third European Tour title. He remained 9 under for the tournament.