OAKVILLE, Ontario -- David Hearn moved into position to become the first Canadian to win the Canadian Open in 61 years, taking a two-stroke lead over Bubba Watson and Jason Day on Saturday.
Hearn, from Brantford, birdied the par-3 15th and par-5 16th, but dropped a stroke on the par-4 17th and closed with a par for a 4-under 68 and a 15-under 201 total at Glen Abbey.
"This is something you dream of," Hearn said. "I feel like I'm ready to step up to the challenge."
Pat Fletcher, born in England, was the last Canadian winner in 1954 at Point Grey in Vancouver, British Columbia. Carl Keffer is the only Canadian-born champion, winning in 1909 and 1914. Albert Murray, a Canadian also born in England, won in 1908 and 1913.
Hearn and Watson will play in the final group today. Hearn sees himself as the underdog.
"Hopefully, I can make some birdies and David can beat Goliath," Hearn said.
Watson called himself "half-Canadian" because wife Angie is from Pickering, Ontario.
"Truthfully, let's be honest, we don't think about where somebody's from," Watson said. "All we think about is there's a guy in front of us. I've got a couple family members. They're going to pull for me, too."
Hearn is the first Canadian to have a 54-hole lead at the Canadian Open since Mike Weir in 2004 at Glen Abbey. Weir led by three shots, but lost in a playoff to Vijay Singh.
Austin Cook (Jonesboro, University of Arkansas) improved his position by six places, shooting a 3-under par 69 on Saturday. Cook is tied with Jonas Blixt, Matt Kuchar and Pat Perez for 16th place, nine-under for the tournament. Cook was one-over for the day after 13 holes, but birdied No. 14 and 16 and eagled the 524-yard par 5 No. 18.
Hearn began the third round three strokes behind Chad Campbell after shooting a 64 on Friday.
Watson also had a 68, and Day shot 69.
Watson eagled the par-5 13th, made a bogey on the par-4 14th and rallied with birdies on 16 and the par-5 18th.
"I'm right where I want to be," Watson said. "I just wish the leader was a little closer to us."
Day, coming off a tie for fourth Monday in the British Open, dropped three strokes with a bogey on the par-4 10th and double bogey on the par-4 11th, then birdied six of the last seven holes.
"Obviously, it'd be great to see a Canadian win, but I'm going to do my best to try and spoil that," Day said. "We're all out here to try and win a golf tournament."
Michael Putnam and Brooks Koepka were tied for fourth at 12 under. They each shot 68.
Campbell followed his second-round 63 with a 75 to fall into a tie for sixth at 11 under.
LPGA
Salas closing in on title
BELMONT, Mich. -- Lizette Salas shot a 7-under 64 on Saturday to take a four-stroke lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic, putting her in position for her second tour title.
The former University of Southern California player birdied Nos. 14-16 and closed her bogey-free round with two pars. She had a 16-under 197 total at Blythefield Country Club.
Salas, 26, had shares of the lead after each of the first two rounds, also opening with a 64 and shooting a 69 on Friday. The 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup player won the 2014 Kingsmill Championship.
Salas birdied three of the first four holes and added another at the par-4 ninth hole to pull in front. After saving par with a 25-foot putt at 13, she hit a shot inside 2 feet at the par-3 14th for birdie and followed with a 6-footer at 15 and a 30-footer at 16.
Lexi Thompson and Michigan native Kris Tamulis were tied for second. Tamulis, whose family still summers in Northern Michigan, shot 67. Thompson had a 68.
Thompson, tied for the second-round lead with Salas and Alison Lee, missed a 4-foot putt and made bogey at 16, but birdied the par-4 18th with a 3-footer.
Lee had a 70 to drop into a tie for fourth at 6 under with Brittany Lincicome (65), Caroline Masson (65), So Yeon Ryu (65), Katie Burnett (66) and Gerina Piller (69).
Top-ranked Inbee Park, a three-time winner this year, had five birdies in a six-hole stretch and finished with a 66 to move into a tie for 10th at 5 under.
CHAMPIONS
Montgomerie, Dawson on top
SUNNINGDALE, England -- Colin Montgomerie shares the clubhouse lead with little-known American Marco Dawson on 10 under par, with nine holes of their third round still to play in the Senior British Open on Saturday.
Poor light suspended play, five hours after the delayed start to the round. The second round, suspended on Friday because of rain, wasn't completed until Saturday mid-afternoon.
At that stage, Dawson led on 8 under, a shot clear of defending champion Bernhard Langer. Montgomerie was on 6 under alongside Fred Couples, Jeff Sluman, Miguel Angel Jimenez, and Peter Fowler.
The late start to the third round, and with 83 players making the cut, meant play began on the first and 10th tees at Sunningdale Old Course.
Montgomerie showed he meant business right from the start, getting birdies on the first three holes. Then he missed birdie chances before picking up his fourth at the ninth, when play was halted in the gathering gloom.
"I had a great start, and I'm really looking forward to tomorrow," said Montgomerie, who wants to add his home senior major to the three he has won in America so far.
Dawson also birdied the first, then parred all the way to the ninth, where he also picked up a shot.
"This is just a survival test now," Dawson said. "It was a long day, and it's going to be long again tomorrow."
The third member of the last group, Langer also birdied the first, dropped a stroke at the fourth, and missed a birdie chance from two feet at the ninth to stay in a four-way for fifth on 7 under.
EUROPEAN PGA
Two share 2-shot lead
CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland -- English golfers Matthew Fitzpatrick and Danny Willett will carry a two-shot lead into the final round of the European Masters.
Willett started the third round on Saturday with a one-shot lead, but had two bogeys and a double bogey in his first four holes. There were two more bogeys coming in, but a 30-foot eagle on the 15th limited the damage to a 1-over-par 71.
He was at 12 under for the tournament with Fitzpatrick, the former U.S. Amateur champion who came through Q School to enjoy his first year on the European Tour. Fitzpatrick climbed into contention with a 64.
Four-time tour winner Raphael Jacquelin of France was third at 10 under thanks to a 68, and defending champion David Lipsky of the U.S. was alone in fourth on 9 under after a 69, despite starting and finishing with bogeys.
Patrick Reed (69), Sergio Garcia (66) and Lee Westwood (68) trailed by seven shots in a big group tied for 16th.
Sports on 07/26/2015