Gay round away from Open spot
Brian Gay is 18 holes away from finishing a wire-to-wire victory in the St. Jude Classic that would earn him a place in the U.S. Open.
He shot a second straight 4-under 66 Saturday to keep the lead by a stroke over Bryce Molder after the third round at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn.
Gay, who won at Hilton Head in April, can earn an Open berth with a second win this year. He has just five bogeys this week, and his only one Saturday came on 18 after his second shot from a fairway bunker found the water. That dropped him to 14-under 196.
For someone who expected to be off next week after he missed qualifying by three strokes, Gay said he isn’t thinking about the Open yet.
“Not till you mention it. Not really. Not when I’m out there, I don’t think about it. I mean it’s a major. I’d love to play in it. I expected to be off next week … I’ve got enough work to do here to not have to worry about that. Nothing I need to think about,” Gay said.
Phil Mickelson shot a 68 and was 10 strokes back at 4 under in his first event since announcing his wife’s diagnosis of breast cancer.
“I haven’t putted well the first three days. I feel like I’ve struck the ball well but have not been able to get it in the hole and shoot a number, a good low number and mostly because of the putter,” Mickelson said. “I’ll spend some time on that in the next few days and should be able to get it ironed out for next week.”
John Daly’s comeback to the PGA Tour stretched into the weekend as he made the cut in the storm-delayed event on the line at even par. He shot a 68 that had him 1 over.
Robert Allenby (68) was alone in third at 11 under, Paul Goydos (64) was 10 under, and Woody Austin (68), Heath Slocum (67) and Vaughn Taylor (69) were 9 under.
Gay came into the event among seven who had a chance to earn a trip to Bethpage Black with a win. The man who won Hilton Head by 10 strokes insists that wasn’t his goal here, but he has led by a stroke after each of the first three rounds.
He had five birdies Saturday and went as low as 15 under, up by as many as three strokes. His putting has been the key as he followed up 23 putts in the second round with 24. Gay has had 73 putts through 54 holes. But Molder and Allenby played almost as well.
•Nordqvist leads rainy LPGA: Anna Nordqvist weathered a lengthy rain delay and fading daylight to take a one-shot lead over Lindsey Wright in the LPGA Championship when play was halted in the third round in Havre De Grace, Md.
Nordqvist made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 15th hole after the horn stopped play because of darkness. The players were allowed to finish the hole, and the rookie from Sweden took advantage by moving to 10-under par.
Wright – one of eight players who failed to finish – also played 15 holes. Na Yeon Choi was about to hit her tee shot on 18 when play was suspended. She threw her ball away in disgust and stormed off the course at 8 under (3 under for the round).