Ancer takes lead over DeChambeau
Abraham Ancer opened with three birdies Sunday and shot a 6under-par 65 to take a one-shot lead over a familiar figure going into the final round of the PGA Tour’s Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston.
It wasn’t Tiger Woods, but the guy playing with him — Bryson DeChambeau, who is coming off a four-shot victory in the first FedEx Cup playoff event and shot 63 while playing with Woods.
DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton (69) were one shot behind.
Not since Vijay Singh in 2008 has anyone captured the opening two FedEx Cup playoff events. DeChambeau led by four shots at Ridgewood Country Club last week and never was seriously challenged.
Ancer, No. 92 in the FedEx Cup points standings, improved to 13under 200.
Should Ancer finish well enough Monday to get into the top 70 in the FedEx Cup race, he would advance to the third playoff event outside Philadelphia. Were he to win Monday, Ancer would be assured a trip to the Tour Championship and a spot in the 2019 Masters.
“I just know to win I’ve got to play good,” Ancer said. “There’s no way if you play sloppy you’re going to win out here. So I know I have to put up a good score out there tomorrow.”
Ten players were within four shots of the lead, a group that included Justin Rose (70), Rory McIlroy (68) and Jordan Spieth (68).
Woods had to settle for a 69 that left him in a tie for 16th, six shots behind.
“I didn’t get a lot out of my round today,” Woods said. “(Monday), I’ve got to make a bunch of birdies, get off to a quick start and just get rolling early.”
LPGA Tour: Marina Alex rallied to win the Portland (Ore.) Classic for her first LPGA Tour title, closing with a 7-under 65 for a four-stroke victory over Georgia Hall.
Alex birdied the final five holes in a front-nine 30 to take the lead and added birdies on the par-5 12th and par-4 15th.
“My goal was 8-under to give myself a chance, but I even thought maybe that wouldn’t have been good enough,” Alex said. “It was just an incredible day. I’m proud.”
European Tour: Thorbjorn Olesen claimed the final automatic qualification spot on Europe’s Ryder Cup team when Matthew Fitzpatrick failed to win the Made in Denmark event in Aarhus.
Fitzpatrick needed to overturn a six-shot deficit to leader Lee Westwood going into the final round, but it was another Englishman, Matt Wallace, who claimed victory. Wallace won a playoff against Westwood, Steven Brown and Jonathan Thomson.
Olesen joins Rose, McIlroy, Hatton, Francesco Molinari, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and Alex Noren on Europe’s Ryder Cup roster. The team captain, Thomas Bjorn, will reveal his four wild-card picks Wednesday.
PGA Tour Champions: Scott McCarron had a one-hop ace on the par-3 14th and closed with a birdie to successfully defend his Shaw Charity Classic title in Calgary, Alberta.
McCarron shot a 7under 63 for a one-stroke win over Scott Parel, Joe Durant and Kirk Triplett at Canyon Meadows.
Web.com Tour: Kramer Hickok completed a wire-to-wire victory in the DAP Championship in Beachwood, Ohio, beating Hunter Mahan and Matt Jones by three strokes in the second of four Web. com Tour Finals events.