Rose surges with 3rd-round 66 to take lead at Memorial
DUBLIN, Ohio — Justin Rose made an early surge and kept pace the rest of the way Saturday in the third round of the Memorial at Muirfield Village. He putted for birdie on all but one hole on the back nine and wound up with a 6-under 66 and a three-shot lead over Francesco Molinari and David Lingmerth going into the final round.
“Finishing birdie-birdie (at the end of the second round Friday) gave me a boost to stay close to the leaders,” Rose said. “It put me in a position today where I felt like I didn’t have to chase too hard. I guess I played a good, solid, patient round of golf. It ended up turning into a great round of golf.”
Rose is at 15-under 201 as he tries to win for the second time this year and become the seventh player to win multiple times at the tournament Jack Nicklaus built.
“Kind of surprised to play my way into a threeshot lead,” Rose said. “I was looking just to keep pace, but it’s a fantastic position going into Sunday.”
Molinari had four birdies on the front nine until he cooled off and shot 69. Lingmerth opened with a birdie to expand his oneshot lead at the start of the round, followed two bogeys with an eagle and then stalled. He shot 72.
“I played good the first two days, so I was just trying to stick to what I did those two days and just focus on my small little world,” Lingmerth said. Justin Rose, the Memorial leader at 201 after a third-round 66, said he “played a good, solid, patient round of golf. It ended up turning into a great round of golf.” “And I kind of lost that focus a little bit in the middle of the round today. But like I said, I was able to find it again in the last few holes and I’m happy about that.”
Jim Furyk, another past champion at Muirfield Village, had a 70 and was four shots behind.
Dustin Johnson and Keegan Bradley were among the early starters who showed what the course might yield. Johnson shot 29 on the front.
He started the back nine with a double bogey and an eagle, then settled into a 65. Bradley was playing behind him and also shot 65.
Phil Mickelson made six bogeys and a double bogey in his round of 78 to fall out of contention.
OTHER EVENTS
Manulife LPGA Classic at Cambridge, Ontario: Suzann Pettersen took a one-stroke lead, making an eagle and four birdies on the first 11 holes and closing with seven pars for a 6-under 66.
Pettersen had a 19-under 197 total at Whistle Bear Golf Club.
Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe was second after shooting a 67. Cristie Kerr was third at 17 under, also after a 67.
Champions Tour Principal Charity Classic at Des Moines, Iowa: Mark Calcavecchia made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 4-under 68 and a one-stroke lead heading into the final round.
Calcavecchia had a 9-under 135 total at Wakonda Club. The 54-yearold Calcavecchia has two victories on the 50-andover tour after winning 13 times on the PGA Tour, including the 1989 British Open.
Joe Durant was second after a 68. Paul Goydos, Brian Henninger and Michael Allen were tied for third at 7 under, all shooting 70.