Golf roundup: Garnett stumbles in wind, lead cut to 2
Brice Garnett took a six-stroke lead into the wind Saturday in the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in the Dominican Republic. He came out with a two-stroke advantage.
Garnett bogeyed three of the final six holes in the wind and rain for a 3-under 69 and a 16-under 200 total.
Washington’s Steve Wheatcroft began the day tied for second place but fell to 15th after shooting 4-over 76. He is eight shots behind Garnett.
“Once we made the turn coming back, all those holes coming in toward the north, it was all we wanted and then some,” Garnett said.
“I kind of took advantage of some holes going out, some holes downwind, some par 5s, and then we were just trying to leave it in the right spot those last four or five holes. Pars are pretty good scores on those holes.”
Canadian Corey Conners was second after a 67, and Tyler McCumber also had a 67 to get to 12 under. Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo dropped out Friday, finishing last in the 132-man field in his PGA Tour debut. He shot 77-82 playing as an amateur on a sponsor exemption.
A stroke ahead after each of the first two rounds, Garnett opened with a bogey, birdied Nos. 2, 4 and 6, eagled the par-5 seventh, and made two more birdies on the par-3 ninth and par-5 12th. He bogeyed the par-4 13th, par-5 15th and par-3 17th.
“I looked once and the lead was a little bigger than what it is now,” Garnett said.
“The eagle was huge, kind of gave me that confidence that I can push it on out and stretch it a little bit more. That wind was tough and I’ll take a two-shot lead into tomorrow.”
The 34-year-old Garnett is winless on the PGA Tour. He won twice last year on the Web.com Tour.
Tom Lovelady was fourth at 11 under after a 68. Seamus Power (71), Denny McCarthy (71) and Seungsu Han (72) were 10 under.
Stricker moves into lead:
Steve Stricker moved into position for his second straight PGA Tour Champions victory, shooting a 3-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead in the Rapiscan Systems Classic.
Stricker won the Cologuard Classic three weeks ago in Tucson, Arizona, for his first victory on the 50-and-over tour. He tied for 12th the following week in the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship.
Stricker had a 7-under 137 total at Fallen Oak, the Tom Fazio-designed layout with big, speedy greens.