Sport

Watney draws level with Na

Golf: A seven-under-par round of 64 gave Nick Watney a share of the lead with Kevin Na in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals…

Sun Oct 02 2011 - 01:00

Golf:A seven-under-par round of 64 gave Nick Watney a share of the lead with Kevin Na in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. Watney birdied his last three holes and five of the last six in round three at TPC Summlerin to tie with Na, who followed his second round of 63 with a 66, on 17 under.

Robert Garrigus (63) and Kris Blanks (66) were a stroke back, and Tommy Gainey (64), Paul Goydos (66) and Tim Herron (67) finished the day at 15 under. A group on 14 under featured Roland Thatcher, Spencer Levin, Carl Pettersson and Jhonattan Vegas.

David Duval was in a group on 12 under while Scotland’s Martin Laird was 11 under as the tournament headed into its final day.

Watney admitted he had missed the chance to take the outright lead but was happy to be in contention to put a tough run in the PGA Tour play-offs for the FedExCup behind him.

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He told the PGA Tour website, of missed birdies on nine and 15: “Those were definitely disappointing to walk off with pars. But once it’s over, that’s what I’ve kind of been trying to do this week: stay a little more even keel whereas during the play-offs I would probably get a little more frustrated, and it didn’t help anything.”

Watney is playing his seventh event in nine weeks which includes four play-offs events where he fell from first to ninth in the final FedExCup standings. He was able to bounce back with birdies on his final three holes to share the lead with Na.

“I didn’t make birdie (on 15), but I was able to birdie the next three,” Watney said. “So if I would have gotten a little frustrated, that might not have been the case . . . it was nice to finish well, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Watney finds himself in contention for a third victory of the 2011 season and a fifth of his career.

“Most of the time that I’ve been up on the leaderboard I’ve been playing really well all facets of the game,” Watney said. “This week, I haven’t really holed very many putts. I’m hoping that (I will make some) tomorrow and maybe I can shoot a real low.

“And a third win, you know, that would be — it would be really, really nice, but it’s a long way off, so I’m not trying to think about that too much.”