World No. 1 Tiger Woods fired a seven-under 65 to vault into sole possession of first place after the third round of the PGA Buick Open on Saturday.
Woods’ superb round moved him to 17-under 199 and came one day after he shot a brilliant 63 in the second round to move into contention at the Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club.
Michael Letzig is in second at 16-under-par 198 after posting a four-under 68. He finished with a disappointing double bogey on the final hole after blowing a bunker shot. Second-round leader John Senden carded a 71 and is alone in third.
Matt Bettencourt, who shot 65, and Vaughn Taylor, who fired a 69, are tied for fourth place at 14-under 202.
■BRITISH OPEN
REUTERS, LYTHAM ST ANNES, ENGLAND
Catriona Matthew tightened her grip on the Women’s British Open with a third round 71 on Saturday as she aimed to become the first home winner of the tournament since 2004.
Tied for the lead at halfway, Matthew, who has won six tournaments in her career, had three birdies and posted a four-under-par total to lead by three shots from American Christina Kim at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
The defending champion from South Korea, Shin Ji-yai (68), and Japan’s Ai Miyazato (70), who won her first LPGA tournament last week at the Evian Masters, are joint third on even par.
Scot Matthew, after dropping shots at the third and fourth, steadied the nerves by holing a 12-foot birdie putt at the short fifth and added more birdies at the 10th and 13th.
Shin, who won at Sunningdale with an 18 under-par total, mounted her challenge with five birdies in the best daily score.
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng was 10 off the lead after shooting a 78, with compatriot Teresa Lu trailed at 16 off the lead after a 77.
■BRUNEI OPEN
AFP, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Australia’s Darren Beck completed a remarkable comeback by winning at the third playoff hole over India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar at the Brunei Open yesterday.
Beck, who had started his final round six shots off the lead and tied for 15th place, fired a sparkling six-under-par 65 to force a three-way play-off with Bhullar and Thai veteran Boonchu Ruangkit after the pair returned with 13-under-par 271 total in regulation play.
When Boonchu bogeyed his shot at the second play-off hole as Beck and Bhullar made pars each, it came down to the par-four ninth hole to decide the winner at the US$300,000 full field Asian Tour event.
Taiwan’s Lu Chien-soon finished two off the leaders after shooting a 70.
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