 Wilson four ahead after 54 holes in Canada
2010-07-24 19:29:00
Etobicoke, ON (Sports Network) - Dean Wilson carded his third straight five- under 65 Saturday to take a four-stroke lead after three rounds of the Canadian Open. Wilson, whose lone win was at the 2006 International, finished 54 holes at 15- under-par 195. Wilson's total matched the 54-scoring record that Arnold Palmer set back in 1955.
Sweden's Carl Pettersson fired a 10-under 60 earlier Saturday to soar from the cut line into a share of second place at minus-11. He was joined there by Bob Estes (66) and second-round co-leader Tim Clark (69).
Pettersson had a chance to shoot 59, but his birdie putt at the last spun off the edge of the cup. He was hoping for the fifth 59 in PGA Tour history after Paul Goydos carded the fourth at the John Deere Classic.
Pettersson was the early story. After a bogey on the second, he poured in seven birdies and two eagles between the fifth and 17th holes. At the last, he was about 30 feet away and gave it a good run. Pettersson's putt hit the hole, but stayed above ground.
"I started thinking about 59 when I was playing the last two. I stuffed a seven-iron on 17 to about four feet. I was a little nervous on that putt, but made it," Pettersson explained. "Then on 18, I just wanted to give myself a chance. I hit a good drive and six-iron just short of the green and lipped out the putt. Obviously, 59 would have been great, but I'm thrilled with 60."
Wilson opened with a six-foot birdie putt on the first to join Pettersson at 11-under. Wilson tripped to a bogey on the fourth after his approach shot found a bunker.
The 40-year-old erased that mistake with a six-foot birdie putt at the sixth. He caught fire at the turn.
Wilson took the lead at 12-under with a five-footer for birdie on the ninth. He followed with an eight-foot birdie putt at 10 and a six-footer for birdie on 11.
That run gave Wilson a three-stroke lead at 14-under. Wilson sank another eight-foot birdie effort at the 15th, but gave that stroke right back as he bogeyed the par-three 16th after finding sand off the tee.
Wilson atoned for that error with a five-foot birdie putt at the last.
A win would mean a lot to Wilson, who is playing this week on a sponsors invitation. This is just his eighth start of the year as the only status Wilson has this season is his past champions status.
"I know exactly what it means. I've been real good this week at taking one shot at a time," said Wilson, who would earn a two-year exemption and a spot in the PGA Championship with a victory. "I can't keep thinking ahead. This course is so tough and you have got to get it in the fairway, so it makes it a little easy to focus on one individual shot at a time."
Clark birdied the second and sixth to grab a one-shot lead after six holes. He faltered to a bogey on the seventh, then parred the next seven holes.
The South African got one stroke back with a birdie at 15, but he missed a short par putt at the last to slide into a share of second.
"Being in the second or third-to-last group is better to be honest. I can go out and put some pressure on the leaders and make them finish," Clark said.
Estes carded a bogey-free round with two birdies on the front nine and two more around the back nine.
Bryce Molder fired a seven-under 63 to soar from 44th place into a share of fifth at 10-under-par 200. He was joined there by Kevin Sutherland (65), Trevor Immelman (65) and Brock Mackenzie (68).
NOTES: Wilson owned the 54-hole lead for the first time in his PGA Tour career...The round was completed despite sporadic heavy rain that left water puddling in several fairways...With 79 players making the cut, there was a second cut after the third round with Arjun Atwal, Lee Janzen, Paul Azinger, John Daly and Steve Lowery getting Sunday off...Adam Hadwin (70) and Jon Mills (66) share 25th place at minus-six and are tied for low Canadian honors...Hadwin is a rookie on the Canadian Tour.
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