Sauers takes narrow advantage

Gene Sauers shot a 5-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Air Canada Championship.

The 40-year-old Sauers, who won the last of his two PGA Tour titles in 1989 and hasn't had a full tour card since 1996, had a 13-under 200 total Saturday.

"I hit a lot of good tee shots, kept it in the fairway and made the putts that I had to make," said Sauers, who hasn't cracked the top 200 on the money list in four years and came into this week ranked 217th after playing just three events. "I wasn't nervous like I usually am. I felt comfortable out here today."

Australians Peter Lonard and Robert Allenby were a stroke back after 68s.

Allenby, who came within a shot of a course record with a 62 Friday, dropped a stroke on the front nine before closing the gap with four birdies on the back, including the last two holes.

"It wasn't the best of starts," said Allenby, who tied for second last week in the NEC Invitational. "On the back nine I just tried to swing within myself and just tried to ease every shot. I think on every hole on the back nine I gave myself a chance for birdie. It was a good way to finish.

Steve Lowery (68) was two strokes back at 11 under, and third-round leader Craig Barlow (71) and Kevin Sutherland (69) were 10 under.

Sauers started the day with four birdies after seven holes, including a chip-in on the 200-yard, par-3 fifth and a couple of 20-foot putts. He bogeyed No. 10, but birdied the next two holes with an up and down out of the bunker and another long-range putt.

"I made some good up and downs that kept me going," said Sauers, who added another sand save for par on No. 13. "It kind of was easy I guess."

It wasn't as easy for playing partner Lonard.

The 35-year-old PGA Tour rookie bogeyed his first hole to kick-start an up-and-down round that included two eagles, three birdies and four bogeys.

"I sort of bumbled through," said Lonard, who has top-20 finishes in his last seven tournaments. "I was sort of up and down all day. I'd make a birdie, make a bogey, make an eagle, make a bogey."

Lonard is 10 under on the par 5s on the Northview Golf and Country Club course, located 45 minutes outside of Vancouver.

"To win you have to kick the par 5s to death," said Lonard, whose eagles included a 90-foot putt on the 584-yard seventh. "I didn't hit it as well as the first couple of days, but I was lucky enough to make a couple of eagles."

Lowery, who also played with Lonard and Sauers, had a temporary share of the lead before dumping his tee shot into the water on the 157-yard, par-3 11th and taking a double bogey.

"You just can't make a mistake short there," said Lowery, who added five birdies. "It's one of those shots in a round where 4 or 5 yards is a two-shot swing. On another hole it might just be a par."

Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke started on the back nine and birdied his first four holes to take an early share of the lead, but he leveled off on the front nine and finished with a 66. That moved Clarke to 8 under for the tournament and into a tie with David Gossett and Blaine McCallister, five shots off the lead.

"I got of to a fast start, 6 under after 10 holes and I was looking to do a lot better than that, especially with two reachable par 5s to come, but unfortunately just didn't manage to do it," Clarke said. "I think I'm probably going to be too far behind going into tomorrow to have a realistic chance of winning."

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page