PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - Jimmy Walker had a hot hand in the cold wind Saturday and built a six-shot lead in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Walker made his first bogey of the tournament, and that hardly slowed him. He countered with five birdies in 30-mph gusts at Monterey Peninsula for a 4-under 67.

That left Walker on the verge of winning for the third time in this young PGA Tour season. He was at 13-under 202.

Tim Wilkinson of New Zealand had a 69 and Hunter Mahan had a 72, both at Monterey Peninsula. They were at 7-under 208.

Jordan Spieth, tied with Walker going into the third round, had to face Pebble Beach, a brute in this wind. He was 5 over and unlikely to finish his round.

Bryce Molder had five birdies and two bogeys for a 3-under 69 (212). Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) had three bogeys for a 3-over 74 (218).

Tag Ridings (Arkansas Razorbacks) had two birdies and five bogeys for a 3-over 75 (221). John Daly (Dardanelle, Razorbacks) had one birdie and five bogeys for a 4-over 76 (228).

Scott Gardiner (Farmington) had two birdies, five bogeys and a double bogey through 17 holes.

EUROPEAN PGA

Aiken, Walters in lead

JOHANNESBURG - Home town players Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters moved into a tie for the lead at 17 under at the Joburg Open on Saturday as overnight pace-setters Edoardo Molinari and David Horsey lost ground.

Aiken carded a 9-under 63 on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington, while Walters shot an 8-under 64 to open a two-shot lead on the chasers.

The Johannesburg-born pair were clear of South Korea’s Jin Jeong (66) on 15 under heading to the final round of the European Tour event. Finland’s Roope Kakko is 14 under and another stroke back.

Aiken had five birdies on the front nine and five on the back, while Walters opened with five birdies on the front and finished with an eagle to draw level with Aiken after putting his second to within two feet on No. 18 and tapping in. Walters has never won on the European Tour.

“I’ve got one more round tomorrow and I’m so happy that I’ve put myself into a strong position,” Walters said. “I’m super excited for tomorrow because it’s what we play for.”

South Africans have won five of the seven previous Joburg Opens.

CHAMPIONS Allen ahead by one

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Michael Allen was prouder of the three-under 69 he shot Saturday than his record-tying 60 the day before.

A day after making the game look so easy when he was the ninth player to shoot 60 on the Champions Tour, Allen fought his swing from the opening drive at Broken Sound.

He fell out of the lead after playing his first 10 holes in 1 over, but birdied four of his last eight holes to take a one stroke lead over Scott Dunlap and Chien Soon Lu in the Allianz Championship.

“This is one of those rounds I really feel good about,” said Allen, who is at 15-under 129 entering the final round. “I knew if I hung in there, eventually the birdies would start coming.”

Allen has a more difficult task to win for the sixth time on the 50-and-over tour. With calm, warm conditions on The Old Course, the field combined for a scoring average of 69.67, the lowest in the eight year history of the event.

Allen had only one player - Dunlap - within four shots of his lead after the first round. Now, there are seven players within four shots entering today’s final round.

Lu shot his second straight 65, and Dunlap followed his opening 63 with a 67. Neither Allen nor Dunlap won on the PGA Tour, but Dunlap is playing in just his second Champions Tour event.

Duffy Waldorf was fourth at 13 under after a 63. He played the front nine in 7-under 29.

Jay Haas, winless in 123 starts in Florida, was another stroke back along with Tom Lehman. Haas had a 64, and Lehman shot 67. NBC announcer Gary Koch was 11 under after a 66.

Sports, Pages 34 on 02/09/2014