WASHINGTON: Rickie Fowler fired six birdies in a four-under par 68 on Saturday to grab a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Fowler who captured his first PGA on the same Quail Hollow course in 2012, had a nine-under par total of 207.
“The course dried out and played much faster, so 68 is a really good round out there,” Fowler said. “The only two bogeys I made, I just missed putts and didn’t get up-and-down for par.
“I had a good warm-up, hit a good drive on the first hole and just went from there.”
Fowler, who won at Quail Hollow in 2012 and will defend his title next week in the Players Championship, took charge with three straight birdies through the 16th hole and his second straight 68.
Fellow American Roberto Castro bogeyed Quail Hollow’s difficult 18th to cap a 71 that left him one adrift on 208.
England’s Justin Rose made two late birdies in a 69 and was two shots behind in a tie for third with James Hahn, who made three straight birdies through No. 16, but made bogey on the penultimate hole in a 68.
A double-bogey at 18 saw overnight leader Andrew Loupe post a 74 that left him on 201, level with Scott Langley who carded a 71.
Tim Wilkinson of New Zealand and Lucas Glover both shot 70 and were three strokes behind in a tie for seventh, and Retief Goosen of South Africa was five shots back in solo ninth after a 71.
Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson fared even worse at 18, carding a quadruple-bogey eight to complete a 76 for 215.
He was part of a big group sharing 19th that also included defending champion Rory McIlroy, who had five birdies but four bogeys and a double-bogey at the ninth en route to a 73.
Park wins GS Caltex Maekyung Open
South Korea’s Park Sang-Hyun triumphed in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open Sunday after beating fellow countryman Lee Soomin on the second hole of a sudden-death play-off.
Park won his first OneAsia title by shooting a final round four-under-par 68 to finish tied with Lee, in with a 70, on eight-under-par 280.
A par on the second extra hole was enough to secure victory and a cheque for nearly $170,000.
Lee led by one shot at the start of the day at Namseoul Country Club and was left to rue a costly bogey on the final hole of normal time.
Trailing in third place were two South Koreans, Kim Kyung-Tae, the winner of The Crowns tournament last weekend in Japan, and Lee Chang-Woo, who won the 2013 Asia-Pacific Amateur. They both closed with 69.
This is the biggest victory in 33-year-old Park’s career, after coming close to winning OneAsia events several times in the past.
He has been playing on the Japan Golf Tour since 2014, where he is also waiting for his maiden win despite a wealth of strong results including a play-off loss in the Tsuruya Open in 2014.
Fowler who captured his first PGA on the same Quail Hollow course in 2012, had a nine-under par total of 207.
“The course dried out and played much faster, so 68 is a really good round out there,” Fowler said. “The only two bogeys I made, I just missed putts and didn’t get up-and-down for par.
“I had a good warm-up, hit a good drive on the first hole and just went from there.”
Fowler, who won at Quail Hollow in 2012 and will defend his title next week in the Players Championship, took charge with three straight birdies through the 16th hole and his second straight 68.
Fellow American Roberto Castro bogeyed Quail Hollow’s difficult 18th to cap a 71 that left him one adrift on 208.
England’s Justin Rose made two late birdies in a 69 and was two shots behind in a tie for third with James Hahn, who made three straight birdies through No. 16, but made bogey on the penultimate hole in a 68.
A double-bogey at 18 saw overnight leader Andrew Loupe post a 74 that left him on 201, level with Scott Langley who carded a 71.
Tim Wilkinson of New Zealand and Lucas Glover both shot 70 and were three strokes behind in a tie for seventh, and Retief Goosen of South Africa was five shots back in solo ninth after a 71.
Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson fared even worse at 18, carding a quadruple-bogey eight to complete a 76 for 215.
He was part of a big group sharing 19th that also included defending champion Rory McIlroy, who had five birdies but four bogeys and a double-bogey at the ninth en route to a 73.
Park wins GS Caltex Maekyung Open
South Korea’s Park Sang-Hyun triumphed in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open Sunday after beating fellow countryman Lee Soomin on the second hole of a sudden-death play-off.
Park won his first OneAsia title by shooting a final round four-under-par 68 to finish tied with Lee, in with a 70, on eight-under-par 280.
A par on the second extra hole was enough to secure victory and a cheque for nearly $170,000.
Lee led by one shot at the start of the day at Namseoul Country Club and was left to rue a costly bogey on the final hole of normal time.
Trailing in third place were two South Koreans, Kim Kyung-Tae, the winner of The Crowns tournament last weekend in Japan, and Lee Chang-Woo, who won the 2013 Asia-Pacific Amateur. They both closed with 69.
This is the biggest victory in 33-year-old Park’s career, after coming close to winning OneAsia events several times in the past.
He has been playing on the Japan Golf Tour since 2014, where he is also waiting for his maiden win despite a wealth of strong results including a play-off loss in the Tsuruya Open in 2014.
