Finau grabs share of top spot
Golfer birdies four of the five par 5s on Albany GC course to tie Stenson, Rahm
Nassau, Bahamas Tony Finau had never seen Albany Golf Club until the pro-am at the Hero World Challenge, and one aspect of the course caught his eye immediately.
“When I’m playing well, I feel like I can score on any golf course, especially a course that has five par 5s,” Finau said.
He made birdie on four of them Saturday, leading him to a 5-under 67 that gave him a share of the lead with Henrik Stenson and Jon Rahm and set up a wide-open conclusion that could feature more than half the 18-man field.
The tournament host is not among them.
Tiger Woods took three shots from just off the green at the par-5 third hole — chipping is tough on everyone at Albany — for a double bogey and a ragged start that never got much better until a few late birdies salvaged a72.
He was in last place, 11 shots out of the lead.
“It’s definitely not alarming, for sure,” said Woods, in his first 72-hole event since winning the Tour Championship. “I just haven’t played clean.”
Stenson and Rahm each had a 3-under 69 to join Finau at 13-under 203.
Stenson and Finau are going for their first victory of the year, even though this holiday event is not attached to any tour and is considered unofficial except for the world ranking points, which are more than four of the domestic events in the fall on the PGA Tour. australian pga: Defending champion Cameron Smith shot a 5-under 67 to increase his lead to three strokes over Marc Leishman after three rounds of the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Pines. Smith had a 54-hole total of 14-under 202. Leishman and Smith played together at the World Cup of Golf last week in Melbourne, where they finished tied for second behind winning Belgium. Leishman, who shot 69 Saturday, and Smith were in the final group Saturday and will do the same on Sunday. Leishman trailed Smith by one stroke going into the third round. American Harold Varner III, who won the tournament in 2016 and has finished second in a playoff and sixth in three Australian PGAS at Royal Pines, shot 71 and was tied for third, seven strokes behind Smith.
european pga: Kurt Kitayama and
Justin Harding were tied for the lead at 16 under par and held a three-shot advantage heading into the final round of the Mauritius Open. Harding jumped six places to join overnight leader Kitayama out in front after an 8-under 64 in the third round. Kitayama carded a 2-under 70. Three players were three shots behind at Four Seasons Golf Course; Chikkarangappa S (71), Masahiro Kawamura (67) and Matthieu Pavon (70).