Henry a crowd pleaser with lead at Buick
His putter was working, the gallery was his and now J.J. Henry is in contention for his first PGA Tour win at the tournament he has always dreamed of winning.
The Fairfield, Conn. native shot a 7-under-par 63 to grab the third-round lead at the Buick Championship in Cromwell, Conn., on Saturday before an appreciative hometown crowd. Henry, 31, has been a fan of the tournament since childhood.
“To grow up in the state of Connecticut and have a chance, I really can’t think of another event I would rather win to get my first tour victory than right here at Cromwell,” Henry said.
He’s strung together three straight rounds under par and is at 11-under 199 heading into today. It’s his first 54-hole lead since joining the PGA Tour in 2000, although he was in the final group in Phoenix this year.
“I felt very comfortable out there. If I can just kind of enjoy what’s going on and just having fun doing it, I seem to play well,” Henry said.
And what can be more relaxing than a round of Sunday golf with a good friend?
That’s exactly what Henry will have.
Henry now lives in Forth Worth, Texas. His buddy and neighbor there, Harrison Frazar (65), is two strokes back and all alone in second place.
“It will be very relaxing,” said Frazar, who is also in the hunt for his first tour win. “It would be a fantastic thing for him to win being from here or from around the area. We’ve got to go play the golf course and see what happens. But I’d sure like to see one of us win.”
Ryan Moore (67) of Puyallup, Wash., coming off hand surgery in March, and Colombian rookie Camilo Villegas (66) were three strokes off the lead.
Villegas will join Henry and Frazar in the final group. Because of the threat of severe weather this afternoon, tournament officials have moved up tee times and are sending the field out in threes.
Henry played this tournament as an amateur in 1998, finishing tied for 56th.
This year marks his eighth appearance at the TPC at River Highlands. His best finish was a tie for 21st in 2003.
Although he lives in Texas, the gallery wasn’t about to let him forget his roots.
The crowd roared, and one fan shouted “hometown hero!” after Henry sunk a 25-footer for birdie on the No. 17 signature water hole to go to 12 under. Henry pumped his fist and tipped his hat.
Former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett shot a 68 for a 207 total.
Champions Tour
David Edwards’ finish wasn’t great, yet good enough to give him the lead heading into the final round of a tournament for the first time in 13 years.
He missed the last three greens in regulation but still shot a 2-under 70. With strong winds gusting and temperatures soaring into the upper 90s, Edwards’ 11-under 133 left him one stroke ahead of Brad Bryant in the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic in Overland Park, Kan.
Edwards, who shot a course-record 63 on Friday, started on the back side and had to scramble in the final holes. He hit his drive into a bunker on his final hole, the 448-yard ninth, and left his second shot about 50 yards short of the green. A 10-foot putt saved par.