He’s almost there
DeChambeau grabs lead and major Ryder Cup attention
Bryson DeChambeau, looking to boost his chances for a US Ryder Cup captain’s pick, stormed his way four shots clear of his rivals at the US PGA Tour Northern Trust tournament.
DeChambeau birdied six of the closing 11 holes in a PGA career-low eight-under 63 in the third round to stand on 16-under 197 after 54 holes in the opening playoff event at Ridgewood Country Club on Saturday.
A third victory in DeChambeau’s young career would lift the 24-yearold atop the playoff points standings and boost his chances for a captain’s choice from Jim Furyk next month onto the US Ryder Cup squad that will defend the trophy next month in France.
Dallas-based DeChambeau, the reigning Memorial champion, birdied his second, third and sixth holes before his only bogey of the round at the seventh ahead of birdies at eight and nine to draw level with Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA Championship winner who signed for a 62 and stood second on 201.
DeChambeau moved to 14-under with birdies at 11 and 12 before stretching his advantage to four shots with a tap-in birdie on the parfive 17th and a 17-foot birdie gem at the last.
“I just felt like every time I was able to hit it in the fairway, I was attacking flags,” he said. “My golf swing was feeling great and my put- ting, that has been the key this week for me. I’ve been rolling my rock really well.”
RegiNA: Canada’s Brooke Henderson birdied three consecutive back-nine holes and clung to a one-stroke lead over Japan’s Nasa Hataoka and American Angel Yin after the third round of the US LPGA Tour’s Canadian Open.
Henderson, trying to become only the second Canadian to win her homeland event after Jocelyne Bourassa in 1973, fired a two-under 70 to stand on 14-under 202 after 54 holes at the Wascana Country Club on Saturday.
“That would be pretty sweet,” Henderson said of her chance at history. “It’s definitely a long way from that. There’s like a million players within five shots, so I definitely have to play my best and hopefully go low.
“It’s an amazing accomplishment to be this far, but I’m not done yet, so hopefully I can just have a great night – restful, sleep well – and then wake up tomorrow ready to go.” — AFP