UNLV product Moore leads after ‘long day’ at Deere Classic

SILVIS, Ill. — Ryan Moore shot two more rounds of 6-under-par 65 on Saturday to take the third-round lead in the John Deere Classic, finishing at 8:25 p.m. in nearly dark conditions.

After opening Thursday with a 65, the UNLV product barely got on the course Friday in the tournament that finally got back on schedule Saturday when the players raced to finish before dark.

“It was a long day,” Moore said. “It was a lot of golf holes I played today, so to play that solid all day long, I’m very encouraged. I think that was 34 holes I played today.”

Play was delayed 3½ hours Thursday when an inch of rain fell, and then the start was delayed five hours Friday after an overnight storm dumped another 2.4 inches on the soaked course. Morgan Hoffman and Ben Martin each shot 62 to pull within a stroke at 17 under.

Moore, 33, has four PGA Tour victories, winning the CIMB Classic in 2013 and 2014. He was third in March in the Valspar Championship and has five top-10 finishes this season.

In the third round, Moore birdied the par-4 14th, hitting a 60-yard approach to a foot, and made a 6-foot birdie putt on par-3 16th.

He parred the final two holes, putting out on the par-4 18th with a large scoreboard providing just enough light to see.

Hoffman had six straight birdies on Nos. 11-16 and parred the last two.

Martin birdied the first five holes and four of the last five.

CHAMPIONS — At Upper Arlington, Ohio, Miguel Angel Jimenez was back on top on a Saturday, this time in the U.S. Senior Open at difficult Scioto County Club.

The 52-year-old Spanish player was looking for a better late Sunday afternoon result after missing chances in his past two events.

Jimenez put himself in position to break out of the title funk Saturday, finishing off a 1-under 69 in gusty wind and sheets of rain to take a onestroke lead.

He was in a lot better shape in Scotland and Minnesota in the past two tournaments — and came up empty.

Three weeks ago at Carnoustie in the Senior British Open, Jimenez took a four-stroke lead into the last day, only to shoot 75 and tie for third — three strokes behind winner Paul Broadhurst.

Last week in the 3M Championship, Jimenez was a stroke ahead entering the final round and ended up losing when Joe Durant shot 63 and eagled the first hole of a playoff.

Jimenez had a 3-under 207 total on Jack Nicklaus’ boyhood course. Gene Sauers was second after a 71.