ORLANDO, Fla. - Adam Scott still had the lead at Bay Hill on Saturday. At least five other players suddenly have a realistic chance at winning.
Scott, who started the third round with a seven-shot lead, missed three par putts inside 8 feet and had to settle for a 1-under 71, which narrowed his lead to three shots over Keegan Bradley going into the final round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The greens were firmer than ever after three days of sunshine, though the pins were accessible and allowed for good scoring. Several players took advantage. Scott did not. His score was helped by a pair of long birdie putts on the back nine.
Bradley’s approach to the 18th narrowly cleared the rocks that frame the lake, leaving him a 4-foot birdie putt for a 6-under 66. He will be paired with Scott in the final round, with much at stake for both of them.
A victory for Scott should push him to No. 1 in the world when he arrives at Augusta National to defend his title in the Masters. Bradley hasn’t won anywhere in the world since the Bridgestone Invitational in 2012.
Scott was at 15-under 201.
Bradley isn’t the only player who now has a chance.
Matt Every (66) and Jason Kokrak (67) were four shots behind, both going for their first PGA Tour victory. Chesson Hadley and Francesco Molinari of Italy each had a 69 and were another shot behind. Hadley, who won the Puerto Rico Open two weeks ago, can qualify for the Masters with a high finish. He likely would need to be in sixth place or better to be solidly inside the top 50 in the world.
Bryce Molder (Conway) is tied for 29th after shooting a three-under 69 on Saturday. Molder finished strong with birdies on his final three holes. Molder is also three-under for the tournament.
David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) also shot a 69 on Saturday but is one under for the tournament.
Scott was never satisfied with the seven-shot lead, and he still felt comfortable with a three-shot advantage going to today.
When you’ve got the lead, you have to work for it,” he said. “I’m still in good shape.”
Scott, who began the week battling flu-like symptoms, said all he has left is a sore throat. “And a sore throat doesn’t hit the golf ball,” he said.
LPGA Ko leads Founders Cup
PHOENIX - There were too many players close behind and too many low scores to be had for Lydia Ko to feel at ease at the top of the JTBC Founders Cup leaderboard.
That won’t change the 16-year-old New Zealander’s approach today at Desert Mountain.
“I’m just going to play my own game,” Ko said. “If somebody goes crazy low like shooting 10 under, 9 under or whatever, it’s not something I can control.”
She shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday to reach 16-under 200. Jessica Korda and Mirim Lee were a stroke back, and a dozen players were within four shots on a course that gave up a 63 and two 64s in the third round.
Ko was 3 under on Wildfire’s Arnold Palmer-designed front nine Saturday after playing it in even par the first two days. She eagled the par-5 fifth after hitting a 5-wood to 7 feet.
Ko tapped in for birdie on the par-5 15th after missing an eagle try and took the outright lead with a 10-footer on thepar-3 17th. She’s 13 under on the Nick Faldo-designed back nine, where the tournament will be decided.
Korda, the winner in the season-opening event in the Bahamas, birdied the final two holes for her second bogey-free 66 in a row.
Lee, the leader after each of the first two rounds, bogeyed the 15th and shot 70. She’s making her third start on the LPGA Tour after winning three times on the Korean LPGA.
Sun Young Yoo, the 2012 Kraft Nabisco winner, was 14 under after a 68.
Michelle Wie had a 67 to join Azahara Munoz, So Yeon Ryu, Amy Yang and Chella Choi at 13 under.
Creamer had a 64 to match defending champion Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Morgan Pressel at 12 under. Lewis and Pressel, 9 under after 11 holes Thursday, shot 67.
“Pretty disappointing,” Lewis said. “I left a ton of shots out there today. The greens were a bit softer and I just didn’t quite adjust to it. Speed was a little bit different.”
CHAMPIONS TOUR Andrade, Funk tied
SAUCIER, Miss. - Billy Andrade hasn’t played much competitive golf over the past four years. It was hard to tell on Saturday.
The 50-year-old Andrade had the low round of the day, firing a 7-under 65 to jump into a tie for the lead with Fred Funk after the second round of the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic at Fallen Oak.
Andrade made nine birdies Saturday, including a stretch of six over seven holes midway through the round. The exclamation point came on the final hole, when he drained a 20-foot putt for birdie.
Sports, Pages 32 on 03/23/2014