San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Bradley weathers on for Wells Fargo lead
POTOMAC, Md. — Keegan Bradley did nothing special on the only easy scoring day this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, opening with an even-par 70 that left him around the cut line.
Since the conditions got tougher, Bradley has been the best player at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm.
Bradley shot the lowest score for the second straight day Saturday, a 3-under 67 that gave him a three-day total of 8under 202 and a two-shot lead over Max Homa in British Open weather on a U.S. Open-style course.
About 2 inches of rain has fallen since Friday morning, yet the lowlying course near the Potomac River has held up well enough to avoid any delays in play. Temperatures dropped into the low 40s Fahrenheit on Saturday.
“It felt like a Patriots playoff game out there in December,” said Bradley, who grew up in New England. “It was fun, but I’m glad to be done.”
Bradley was one of four players to shoot in the 60s. The scoring average was 73.7, the highest relative to par on the PGA Tour since the final round of the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot.
The day’s second-best score belonged to Rory McIlroy, who made the cut on the number and played on the opposite side of the course from the leaders. The highestranked player in the field at No. 7, McIlroy bogeyed his first two holes, made four birdies before the turn and closed with nine straight pars for a 68 that moved him into a tie for sixth at 2 under.
Anirban Lahiri shot 70 and was four shots back alongside James Hahn (72).
Toms charges ahead at Duluth
David Toms flipped the script Saturday at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic with a four-shot swing on the 15th hole and closed with pars for a 1-under 71 that gave him a two-shot lead over Ken Duke going into the final round on the PGA Tour Champions at Duluth, Ga.
Toms was in danger of falling two shots behind when his long birdie putt on the 14th went past the hole and nearly off the green. He made the 12footer for par, and then seized on the big mess Duke made out of the next hole.
Duke’s 20-foot birdie putt from above the hole had too much pace and trickled — and trickled some more — until it picked up steam and rolled some 35 yards down the fairway. His wedge was too weak and rolled off into a bunker, and he made triple bogey.
Toms was at 8-under 136.
Ernie Els was part of the group four shots behind at 4-under 140 that included Jay Haas (69) and Fred Couples (70).
Olesen up by 3 at Masters event
Thorbjorn Olesen finished eagle-birdie to shoot 3-under 69 and take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the British Masters at Sutton Coldfield, England, as he bids for a first win in four years amid a career rebuild.
The Danish golfer broke a four-way tie for the lead after almost holing his approach from 242 yards on the par-5 17th hole. Olesen was 11 under overall, with thirdround leader Hurly Long (73) and Marcus Armitage (70) the nearest challengers on 8 under.