WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Jeff Overton saw J.B. Holmes and D.A. Points flirt with 59s, then rode his own hot finish to move within a round of his first PGA Tour win.
Overton overcame two early bogeys for a 4-under 66 on Saturday and a three-stroke lead over Points at the Greenbrier Classic.
Overton didn’t realize his four-shot lead was gone until after Points made a barrage of birdies to jump ahead by three strokes.
“If anything it might have helped me because I was like, ‘Geez, what are you doing here, Jeff?”’ Overton said. “Here he is three shots up. I was like, ‘All right, we’ve got to get something going here.’ I kind of buckled in and made some putts.”
Overton made five birdies on the back nine of the Old White course to move to 18 under through three rounds in the inaugural tournament.
The 27-year-old Overton kept the lead despite the low rounds of the year from Points and Holmes, but their dreams of making history with 59s ended on the 572-yard 17th.
Points three-putted for bogey, finished with a 61 and is alone in second at 15 under, and Holmes couldn’t convert a 10-footer for eagle at No. 17 and shot 60.
Boo Weekley shot a 67 to reach 13 under, and Holmes is in a four-way tie for fourth with Jonathan Byrd (64), Brendon de Jonge (65) and Jimmy Walker (67) at 12 under for the tournament.
Tseng leads British Open
At Southport, England, Yani Tseng shot her third straight 4-under 68, and will take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the Women’s British Open.
The 21-year-old star from Taiwan took advantage of the short, 472-yard, par-5 final hole by hitting an 8-iron to within 20 feet with her second shot. She rolled in the eagle putt to finish off her round, doubling her cushion over Australian Katherine Hull.
“I played really well again,” said Tseng, who is at 12 under and has just one bogey through 54 holes. “I really enjoyed the big crowd out there. They clap on every shot and I showed them my big smile all the way around.”
Hull played a flawless third round, including five straight birdies to finish with a 66.
“A great way to finish. I’ll always remember this round,” Hull said.
The Australian made only one birdie on the way out, at the long sixth, when she hit a pitching wedge to within 3 feet. Four straight pars on the back nine followed, before a 5-iron to within 6 feet on the short 15th started her run of birdies.
Fisher leads at Irish Open
At Killarney, Ireland, Ross Fisher is taking a three-shot lead into the third round of the Irish Open after shooting a 10-under 61.
Fisher had 10 birdies in 12 holes in a bogey-free round Friday that left him at 12-under 130 at the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club.
Francesco Molinari of Italy was second after a 66, and nine players were tied for third another two shots behind.
Fisher was in position to become the first player to shoot a 59 on the European Tour after reaching 10 under on the 14th hole, but missed three late birdie putts.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
