Smith takes 3-stroke lead into final round of Australian PGA
British Open champion Cameron Smith had a topsy-turvy round of 2-under 69 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the Australian PGA championship.
Smith had six birdies and four bogeys — including two in a row on 11 and 12 that saw his lead reduced to just one — before another bogey on the 18th to finish with a 54-hole total of 11-under 202 at Royal Queensland.
Published In Public Interest by thebengalurulive.com
Liu Yanwei (70) of China and Masahiro Kawamura (71) of Japan were tied for second. Four others, including Australians Min Woo Lee (68) and second-round leader Jason Scrivener (74) were at 7-under and four behind Smith.
Marc Leishman shot 70 and was at 2-under and Adam Scott — with his old-but-new-again caddie Steve Williams — had a 74 and was at -1 and 10 behind Smith.
Smith led by three strokes after nine holes Saturday after starting the day one shot behind Scrivener. But Smith had a two-shot lead an hour later thanks to a two-shot swing on the fourth hole.
Smith had birdied the second and then put his approach to the par-3 fourth within a meter of the flag, while Scrivener was unable to get up and down from the bunker.
The two-time former Australian PGA winner then birdied the sixth and seventh holes to build a four-shot lead before making bogey on the ninth when he sliced his drive. Smith recovered to the fairway, put his third shot into a deep greenside bunker and then missed his putt for par.
Scrivener dropped three shots on the front nine as his pursuit of a first title since 2017 stalled. AP SSC SSC
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