PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – Daniel Berger has not been with out flaws. He continued to keep away from the massive issues, which just about nobody succeeded in doing on the PGA Nationwide this week.
That is why he stays the chief of the Honda Traditional.
Berger began with a three-shot lead and completed with a five-shot benefit, after his 1-under 69-hole run took him to profitable the championship a 15-minute drive from his dwelling.
“I’ve performed some nice golf, however the problem continues to be forward, one other 18 holes,” Berger stated. “I’ve to deal with taking part in one other nice spherical tomorrow, and if I can try this, I am going to seize the trophy on the finish of the day.”
Shane Lowry (67), Chris Kirk (71), Seb Straka (69) and first-round chief Kurt Kitayama (71) tied for second within the 6-under.
Solely 13 of the 73 gamers made a substandard minimize on Saturday. No person went down, and until Berger begins making lots of errors, somebody goes to need to do it on Sunday as a way to deny him a fifth win on the PGA Tour.
Laurie had the most effective tour of the day – and that was solely 3 instances much less.
“I drove the ball into play and managed to hit the ball very well,” Lowry stated. “I felt fairly common firstly of the week. I discovered one thing because the week went on.”
He wants to seek out one thing extra.
Or extra particularly, I hope Berger has one thing unsuitable.
“Clearly you wish to exit and catch him tomorrow, however I do not suppose you may go and catch anybody on this golf course,” Lowry stated. “Simply do no matter you need and rating the absolute best end result and hopefully it is someplace close to sufficient high quality.”
Andrew Cousin, Curtis Thompson, Billy Hurschel and Kevin Strelman shot 68 seconds on Saturday, though in all 4 circumstances this merely meant simply getting the identical stage all week and nowhere close to Berger.
“At the moment I performed a lot harder,” Kitayama stated.
There have been hints that Berger may be again within the pack, beginning together with his first place to begin of the day when he pulled the ball to the left. The left ditch was ready for him at No. 4 as effectively, and so did a stash subsequent to the inexperienced at No. 7.
He saved a tie every time, and once more in tenth place, when he shot twice from 65 toes to maintain the cardboard flawless. The one mistake got here previously, his solely ghost that day.
Kirk has been the closest for some time, solely three pictures heading into 14th. However a visit within the bushes led to a double bogey, and Berger dipped his shot earlier than quietly rolling in 5ft to avoid wasting the equaliser once more.
Armed with a five-shot bullet, Berger went third 15, the beginning of the three-hole extension referred to as the “bear lure” that often frowns on aggression. He went in direction of the flag, stored the ball beneath the wind and watched it land 7 toes from the outlet.
He put the jumper within the center, placing him 12 beneath—six pictures forward of his closest competitor at that second.
“I’ve to play nice golf tomorrow for an opportunity to win,” Berger insisted.
Kozan was maybe the most important success story of the day. He waited 12 hours to play 4 pictures, then performed one other 68 pictures within the subsequent three hours or so.
Kozan stopped taking part in within the par-5 18th lane Friday night time because of darkness, a clever transfer as a result of he wanted parity to make the minimize. After 5 hours of sleep, he was on the course by 5:40 a.m. Saturday to heat up and resumed taking part in at 6:47. He used a brief iron to get into the inexperienced from about 260 yards, then placed on two for equalization which allowed him to make his first PGA Tour.
It was at 6:59. At 7:35, he began in a solo set to start out the third spherical and at 10:51, he rolled in 4 toes for the Birds to complete the third spherical of 2-under 68.
We now have nothing to lose,” Cousin stated.
And earn loads.
Kozan’s largest examine as a professional thus far is $29,333 for his runner-up final yr on the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Faculty. It may prime on Sunday. Anybody who single-handedly finishes forty third or higher at Honda is assured a minimum of $30,000, and Cousin is tied for nineteenth.
