Boston Sunday Globe

Henley cards 65, doubles lead to 6

-

Russell Henley rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt on his first hole and never really let up Saturday until he had a 6-underpar 65 and doubled the size of his lead to six shots in the World Wide Technology at Mayakoba.

This is the sixth time Henley has had at least a share of the 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour, and while he has converted only one of them into a victory — his rookie start in 2013 in Hawaii — he has never had a lead like this.

Will Gordon bogeyed the 18th hole for a 68 to fall farther back, tied with Patton Kizzire, who had a 67.

Henley was at 22-under 191, breaking his career low for the opening 54 holes on the PGA Tour by one shot. He had a 192 in the Sony Open in January, ultimately losing in a playoff to Hideki Matsuyama.

Equally impressive by Henley was going bogey-free, the only player in the field who has yet to drop a shot at El Camaleon.

Henley sure had his chances. He put his tee shot into the hazard on the 428-yard second hole, took a penalty drop, and then hit his approach to 4 feet to save par.

Henley will be going for his fourth career victory, and first since the 2017 Houston Open.

This round had plenty of stress compared with the opening two days, though that made it feel more satisfying because of the key putts he made that saved par and kept momentum in his favor.

He started with a three-shot lead and no one made up any ground.

Sam Ryder was three behind. He was six back after making a double bogey on his first hole, while Henley made his long birdie. Gordon had three straight birdies early on the back nine to try to stay in the game.

Seamus Power of Ireland, coming off a win in Bermuda, had a 63 and was seven shots behind. His round featured a hole-in-one on the eighth hole, and he didn’t even get the stage to himself.

Greyson Sigg moments later made an ace on the par-3 10th hole, and Sigg didn’t even realize it. He hit 7-iron, hit it well, knew it was a good shot, but needed to get to the bathroom, and so he rushed off to the clubhouse near the tee.

LPGA — Momoko Ueda of Japan shot a 4-under-par 68 to take a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Toto Classic in Shiga, Japan. Ueda also held a one-shot lead after the second round.

Ueda, who had a threeround total of 14-under 202, is one shot ahead of Gemma Dryburgh, who shot a 65 for the best round of the day. Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand also had a 65 but was far off the pace at the Seta Golf Course in western Japan.

Ueda won this tournament in 2007 and 2011.

Japanese player Miyu Yamashita shot a 69 and was two strokes back. The field is tightly bunched with nine other players within five shots of the lead. Champions — Bernhard Langer beat his age by two shots with a 9-under 63, giving him a oneshot lead over Paul Goydos in the TimberTech Championsh­ip in Boca Raton, Fla., and a chance to move closer to the PGA Tour Champions record for career wins.

Langer opened with three straight birdies, came one turn away from another, and then holed a bunker shot on the par-3 fifth at Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club. He got one more birdie to reach 11-under 133.

It was the sixth time in his career Langer, a two-time Masters champion, has shot his age or lower on the PGA Tour Champions, and the fourth time this season.

A victory Sunday would be his 44th on the Champions Tour. Hale Irwin holds the record with 45 senior titles.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States