Dufner, ex- UA star Lewis lead golf tourneys
AVONDALE, La. — Jason Dufner shot a 5- under 67 on Saturday to take a two- stroke lead over Graham Delaet after the third round of the Zurich Classic.
Winless in 163 starts on the PGA Tour, Dufner lost playoffs last year to Mark Wilson in the Phoenix Open and Keegan Bradley in the PGA Championship for two of his three career runner- up finishes. The former Auburn star had a 17- under 199 total at TPC Louisiana.
Delaet, from Canada, shot a 66.
Ernie Els and John Rollins were 14 under. Els shot a 68, and Rollins had a 69.
Ryan Palmer tied the course record with a 64 to join Steve Stricker and Cameron Tringale at 13 under. Tringale had a 68, and Stricker a 69.
Second- ranked Luke Donald was 12 under after a 66. He needs to finish at least solo seventh to regain the top spot from Rory Mcilroy.
Defending champion Bubba Watson, playing his first tournament since winning the Masters, was 9 under after a 65. He opened with consecutive 71s to make the cut by a stroke.
Mobile Bay LPGA Classic
MOBILE, Ala. — Stacy Lewis birdied five of the last seven holes for her second straight 5under 67 and a two- stroke lead over friend Brittany Lincicome after the third round of the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic.
Lewis, the Kraft Nabisco Championship winner last year and University of Arkansas graduate, has a 14- under 202 total.
The long- hitting Lincicome, a two- time winner last season, also shot a 67.
“We’ll try to just keep each other relaxed, and hopefully we’ll have a pretty close tournament coming to the end,” Lewis said.
Karine Icher was third at 11 under after a 68. Sun Young Yoo, the Kraft Nabisco winner this month, and Lindsey Wright shot 69 to reach 10 under.
Six players, including 17year- old Lexi Thompson, Hall of Famer Karrie Webb and Natalie Gulbis, were 9 under on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Magnolia Grove complex.
Webb shot a 64 to match the tournament record, Thompson had a 66, and Gulbis a 68.
Ballantine’s Championship
SEOUL, South Korea — Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger shot his second straight 7- under 65 to open a five- stroke lead after the third round of the Ballantine’s Championship.