Stewart Cink sets another scoring mark, keeps lead at RBC Heritage

Stewart Cink is having a great time playing at the RBC Heritage with his son, Reagan, as his caddie.

He's winning, too.

The 47-year-old Cink, closer to the Champions Tour than his PGA prime, maintained a five-shot lead and set another scoring mark at Harbour Town Golf Links on Saturday, moving closer to his third career win at this event.

Cink is reveling in his time with Reagan, chatting away like long-lost best friends as they walk down fairways and between holes.

Doesn't seem like he is feeling much pressure as he heads into the final round with a big lead.

“I think it's a lot better to embrace it, enjoy it and feel the tingle," of a Sunday with victory in reach, Stewart Cink said, “instead of trying to pretend it's not there.”

Cink cooled off from his pace in the first two rounds, when he shot a pair of 63s for his lowest career 36-hole score and shattered the event's halfway scoring mark shared by Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson.

This time, Cink scrambled his way to a 2-under 69 to get to 18-under 195, also a tournament mark for lowest 54-hole score. The record had been held by Justin Leonard at 16-under 197 in 2002.

PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa was at 13 under after a 67. Emiliano Grillo of Argentina had a 69 and was another shot behind in third.

Matt Wallace of England and Sung-jae Im of South Korea were tied at 11 under. Wallace shot 65 and Im 69.

Morikawa said there have been plenty of low scores this week and he just has to post one when he goes out Sunday as part of the final group.

“Each day, I've shown little specks of good golf, I've just got to put it all together for tomorrow's final round if I want a chance,” he said.

While Cink slowed down, no one could dent his large lead amid Harbour Town's narrow fairways and smallish greens. That left Cink in prime position for a third plaid winner's jacket for his collection after finishing first in 2000 and 2004.

Cink rallied from behind in both of his previous wins here. His challenge 17 years later will be maintaining his poise on a course where front-runners are often upended. Only once in the past eight tournaments here has the third-round leader come out on top.