VANCOUVER |
VANCOUVER (Reuters) - American Bo Van Pelt used a record-smashing back nine of six-under-par 29 to hold off homegrown hope Adam Hadwin and claim a one-shot third round lead at the Canadian Open Saturday.
Sputtering along at one-over heading into the turn at the sun-kissed Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, Van Pelt suddenly found top gear to card a course-record six birdies, including four in his last five holes, on the way to a five-under 65.
It was a spectacular display by Van Pelt on a challenging Shaughnessy track that has been compared to a U.S. Open layout due to its tight fairways and jungle-like rough.
Van Pelt's six birdies bettered the previous best of five carded by Franklin Langham in his five-under 30 in 2005, the last time the Canadian Open was staged at Shaughnessy.
"You just want to have a chance Sunday, that's what we're all playing for," Van Pelt told reporters. "At the turn I wasn't doing so well...I was just trying to keep myself motivated and have a good nine holes to give myself a chance.
"You never know you are going to shoot 29, but that went a long way to give me a shot tomorrow."
While the Stars and Stripes hangs at the top of the leaderboard, the Canadian flag was waved all day as Hadwin, a 23-year-old who earns his living on the Canadian Tour, continued his unlikely bid to become the first homegrown winner of the national championship in 57 years.
Hadwin, who grew up just an hour from Vancouver, turned in another nerveless effort, shooting a 68 to lie one stroke adrift on four-under 206 heading into Sunday's final round.
Argentina's Andres Romero (67) and American Kris Blanks (69) were level at three under while Sean O'Hair (66), Australians Geoff Ogilvy (70) and Aron Price (69) and big-hitting American John Daly (67) were three off the pace.
No Canadian has won the national championship since Pat Fletcher in 1954 and few predicted the long drought could end in Vancouver this week.
HOMEGROWN WINNER
Mike Weir, who had carried Canadian hopes for a homegrown winner for over a decade, arrived at Shaughnessy with his game in shambles and pulled out early in the second round Friday after re-aggravating an elbow injury.
However, Hadwin immediately stepped in to pick up the baton as he moved into contention.
"The whole objective today was to put myself in a position to win tomorrow," said Hadwin. "It's been a very simple process this whole week and that's just picking a target, picking a yardage and committing to it and that's it.
"I'm a Canadian Tour player. I'm not a PGA Tour star. I'm just playing good golf right now.
"If I hit the ball on the fairway, put it on the green and give myself putts at it, I've got a chance to win the championship tomorrow."
Hadwin began the day two shots behind overnight leader Chad Campbell but birdied three of his opening four holes to take charge at the top and send a buzz across Shaughnessy.
He gave all that back, though, with bogeys at five, eight and 11 before regaining control of his round with birdies at 12 and 16 to end his day with a rousing standing ovation from the home crowd as he marched onto the 18th green.
"Getting off to a start like I did -- birdies at the first, the third and the fourth -- made it very easy," said Hadwin. "It settled the nerves quickly knowing that I already had a three-shot cushion.
"I don't really find it surreal because I feel like I belong here.
"I just need my opportunity to get out here...I think I kind of proved that today."
(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)
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