Leishman, US rookie Wise share Byron Nelson lead
DALLAS: Australian Marc Leishman grinded through and clung to a share of the lead with US rookie Aaron Wise after Saturday’s windy third round of the US PGA Byron Nelson tournament.
The 34-year-old Aussie, who won the most recent of his three tour titles at last year’s BMW Championship, fired a twounder par 69 to stand alongside 21-year-old Wise on 17-under 196 after 54 holes at the par-71 Trinity Forest layout south of Dallas.
Leishman opened with a career-best 61 on Thursday but blustery weather kept him fighting just to stay in the front.
“Very different conditions to what it was Thursday afternoon,” Leishman said. “The course is firming up. A lot windier. Pretty happy with the way I fought back out there after a slow start.”
Leishman’s lone bogey came on the par-3 second. He answered with a sevenfoot birdie putt at the fourth then caught fire again on the back nine, sinking a ninefoot par putt at 13, a 13-foot birdie putt at the par-5 14th and an 11-foot birdie putt at the 15th.
“You’re hitting such different clubs off tees. You just have to adapt to that. I feel like I learned a lot out there and hopefully I can use that to win tomorrow,” Leishman said.
“Hopefully I can drive it well. And you’ve got to hole the putts. Aaron is playing well. Hopefully I’ll do my best tomorrow and we’ll see what happens.”
Wise fired a 68 to grab the first lead or colead of his career after 54 holes. He comes off a career-best PGA finish of second two weeks ago at Quail Hollow and he found himself with raised levels of what he wanted on Saturday.
“I almost felt like I had expectations,” Wise said. “I expected more from myself. Felt like I turned it around. Three-under is a good score around here.”