DeChambeau a birdie machine
Has 4-shot cushion, makes case for Ryder
Bryson DeChambeau described himself as a “man on a mission,” and he sure played like one yesterday at The Northern Trust.
Now it’s a matter of which mission he’s on.
DeChambeau made four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn to pull away from a fading collection of stars, closed with two more birdies and had an 8-under-par 63 to build a 4-shot lead on Keegan Bradley going into the final round of the opening FedEx Cup playoff event.
A victory would assure DeChambeau one of the top seeds at East Lake to have a clear shot at the $10 million bonus for winning the FedEx Cup.
“That would be something pretty special,” he said.
And the timing would be ideal for his Ryder Cup hopes. DeChambeau narrowly missed qualifying for the U.S. team when he missed the cut at the PGA Championship, but a victory against one of the strongest fields of the year might be tough for Jim Furyk to ignore when he makes three of his four captain’s picks a week from Tuesday.
“I’ve just got to keep focusing on this tournament,” the 24-year-old Californian said. “If I can play well in the first leg of the FedEx Cup, I’ll hopefully show captain that I’m worthy.”
He played the part on a day when everyone else around him went south.
DeChambeau and Adam Scott were the only players from the last five twosomes who managed to break par, and Scott had to birdie three of his last four holes for a 70. He was 6 back.
Dustin Johnson, trailing by 2 shots after 36 holes despite two triple bogeys, added a double bogey to his week and shot 72 to fall 9 shots behind. Brooks Koepka, the U.S. Open and PGA champion who shared the 36-hole lead, began his slide with a 3-putt bogey from 12 feet on No. 5 and by missing a 4-foot birdie putt on the next hole. He went 13 holes in the middle of his round with three bogeys and 10 pars and had to settle for a 72. He’s 7 back.
Scott was 1 shot behind when he made two bogeys, then chopped up the par-3 11th for a double bogey.
“I really switched off there for five holes and made a mess of things around the turn,” Scott said. “Might have shot myself out of the tournament. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow, but it’s going to be costly and make life difficult for me to win this thing.”
Bradley finished his round about an hour after the leaders teed off, making five birdies in his final seven holes for a 62. He was leading at the time and figured he would be at least a few shots behind when the third round ended.
Tony Finau (66) and
Cameron Smith (65) were 5 shots behind, with Billy Horschel (65) and Scott another shot back. Jordan Spieth finally got his putter going and shot a 64, leaving him 7 shots behind but in a tie for seventh, boosting his bid to return to the Tour Championship.
Tiger Woods did not make a bogey but made just three birdies in a 68. He is 13 strokes behind.
Henderson grabs lead
Brooke Henderson took the lead into the final round of the CP Women’s Open in Regina, Saskatchewan, fighting through gusting wind at Wascana Country Club in pursuit of a breakthrough home victory.
The 20-year-old Canadian star shot a 2-under 70 in clear and cool conditions to reach 14-under 202 and take a 1-stroke lead.
“Very exciting,” Henderson said. “These crowds this week have been totally amazing, and I’ve been playing well for them, so I’m happy about that.”
Jocelyne Bourassa is the only Canadian to win the national championship, accomplishing the feat in 1973 at Montreal Municipal in the inaugural La Canadienne.
“I don’t know a ton, but she was an amazing golfer,” Henderson said. “To win the national championship at home, it’s truly amazing, especially in front of these crowds. I definitely will hope to be somewhat like her tomorrow and be able to finish the job.”
Henderson won the LOTTE Championship in April in Hawaii for her sixth LPGA Tour title. She again attracted a large gallery, with fans lining the fairways to watch her.
Nasa Hataoka of Japan and American Angel Yin were a stroke back. Hataoka had a 69, and the long-hitting Yin shot 71, settling for par at the par-5 18th after running an eagle putt long.
“Greens, obviously, got really fast,” Yin said. “I felt like I hit it pretty good at 17, but it flew past the hole. Then, wasn’t able to make the putt coming back. But overall my game was good. It was really cold. It was windy. The greens were ex- tremely fast. I mean, I think I grinded it out pretty well.”
Sutherland fires 60
Kevin Sutherland shot a 12-under 60 at the Boeing Classic in Snoqualmie, Wash., making birdies at the final four holes to finish a stroke off his own PGA Tour Champions record.
Needing an eagle at the par-5 18th for another 59, Sutherland made a birdie after missing the green with a 3-iron approach. He was tied for the lead with Ken Tanigawa at 14-under 130.
In 2014, Sutherland became the only player to break 60 in the history of the 50-and-over tour, shooting a 13-under 59 — with a closing bogey — in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.
Yesterday at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge, Sutherland played the back nine in 7-under 29, also making birdies at Nos. 10, 12 and 13. He opened with three pars in cold conditions, then birdied No. 4 and Nos. 6-9.
Tanigawa shot 64, closing with a birdie . . . .
Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington and Andrea Pavan shot flawless 7-under 65s to share the lead after the third round of the Czech Masters.
The duo had seven birdies apiece to finish at 17-under 199 at the Albatross Golf Resort near Prague.
Irish veteran Harrington, who won the British Open in 2007 and 2008 and the U.S. PGA Championship in 2008, is chasing his first European Tour win since the 2016 Portugal Masters.
“I feel like it was a day too early,” Harrington said. “It took a lot out of me, a lot of focus, and I holed the putts that you’d like to be holing on a Sunday.”