Petterson claims Heritage lead

Updated April 15, 2012 15:01:30

Sweden's Carl Pettersson fired five consecutive birdies in a sparkling 5-under-par 66 that elevated him one stroke ahead of Colt Knost after the third round of the Heritage Classic at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

With one round to play, Pettersson leads on 12-under after overturning an overnight two-stroke deficit on Knost, who slipped back with a 69.

Marc Leishman is the best-placed Australian in a share of 27th position on 1-under.

The fast-starting Pettersson started his birdie streak on the second hole under sunny skies.

Bogeys on the 11th and 15th holes halted his charge but the Swede concluded his round with a birdie on 18, his seventh of the day.

Knost started the third round badly, knocking his opening tee shot into the trees and wound up with a bogey on two of his first three holes.

The American sandwiched an eagle between the misfires, rolling in a 48-footer from just off the green of the par-five second hole.

Knost also bogeyed the third and 10th holes and ended the round with three bogeys, three birdies and his eagle.

Former Masters champion Zach Johnson equalled Pettersson's low round of 66 to move within four strokes of the lead heading into the final round, one ahead of two-time Heritage winner Boo Weekley.

Briton Luke Donald's grip on the number one ranking loosened further after an even-par 72 left him 14 shots off the lead and seven away from a top eight finish that would ensure he remained ahead of Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy in the rankings.

Reuters

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted April 15, 2012 15:01:30

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Donald seizes Heritage lead

Posted April 23, 2011 10:00:00

England's Luke Donald, set to become world number one with a victory, has fired a six-under-par 65 to grab a one-stroke lead after 36 holes of the US PGA Heritage tournament.

Donald, currently ranked third, would move past current top man Martin Kaymer of Germany with a victory and also finish ahead of countryman Lee Westwood no matter how Westwood fares this week at the Indonesian Masters.

Donald opened with back-to-back birdies and also birdied the par-five fifth, par-three seventh and par-four ninth to make the turn in 31.

After taking a bogey to start the back nine, Donald answered with a birdie at 11 and another at the par-5 15th to stretch his lead, finishing on 10-under 132 after two rounds.

American Garrett Willis, who led after firing a first-round 64, birdied the 18th hole to stand alone in second place after the second round on 133.

Colombian Camilo Villegas, Australian Jason Day, defending champion Jim Furyk and his US countryman Chad Campbell shared third on 134 with England's Ian Poulter and American Ben Crane on 135.

- AFP

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Donald tees off at The Heritage

 

Published:Saturday, April 23, 2011 1:22 AEST

Luke Donald watches his tee shot on the 13th hole during the second round of The Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on April 22, 2011 in Hilton Head Island.

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Willis seizes Heritage lead

Updated April 22, 2011 12:47:00

Garrett Willis' devotion to his old putter paid off as he reeled of six birdies in a row en route to a 7-under-par 64 and the first-round lead in The Heritage.

The American, who has struggled with his putting this season, had planned to put a new putter in his bag, but at the last minute Thursday he told his caddie to get 'Old Faithful' from the car.

'Old Faithful' and Willis certainly got the job done, with a string of six straight birdies from the second hole at Harbour Town.

He had three more birdies and two bogeys to take the lead in a round that was suspended by darkness after an earlier rain delay.

India's Arjun Atwal, Matt Bettencourt, Chad Campbell and Tim Herron were in the clubhouse on 65, with Mark Wilson, Colombia's Camilo Villegas and 2009 Heritage winner Brian Gay a further shot back on 66.

Luke Donald, ranked number three in the world, led a group on 67. A victory could move the Englishman to the top of the world rankings.

Donald, winner of the World Golf Championships Match Play Championship in February, is the highest ranked player in the field.

After a slow start he birdied three of his final six to keep himself in contention.

"A lot of people are telling me about" number one, Donald said.

"So it's hard to put out of your brain. But that would be awesome."

Even after his torrid round, Willis was keeping his goal more modest.

"Obviously, very excited about putting this well, and having a chance to making the cut for a change," said Willis, whose only prior US PGA Tour title came at Tucson in 2001 - which was his first tour start.

He dropped to 228th on the PGA Tour money list in 2005 and regained his card in 2009 with a 12th-place finish on the developmental Nationwide Tour money list.

This season Willis has made just two cuts in eight starts.

"We can't make them all. I'm fully aware of that," he said. "But for some reason some of these guys do week in and week out."

In hopes of finding that consistency on the greens he launched a search for a new putter, giving himself a choice of 10. He had planned to go with a belly putter that he used in a practice round on Tuesday.

"I can't pull the trigger," he said of changing his mind about the switch.

His decision was not looking great when he missed a 12-foot birdie attempt at the first hole, but he drained an eight-footer at the second.

"I said, 'Wow, maybe I can make a putt,'" said Willis, who needed just one putt at each of the next five holes.

Solid play into the greens meant all of his birdie putts were from within 15 feet.

After bogeys at nine and 11, he nabbed back-to-back birdies at 15 and 16.

"I made putts today that I normally don't make," he said.

Defending champion Jim Furyk and reigning US Open champion Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland were in a group on 68.

South African Ernie Els got off to a tough start with a 75 that included a two-shot penalty on the eighth, his penultimate hole, when he was deemed to have tested the playing surface by raking his footprints in a bunker before he made his shot out.

- AFP

First posted April 22, 2011 12:48:00

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