PHOENIX — Padraig Harrington spent the afternoon pouring in birdie putts and shopping for drinks. Hell want a mixture of fortunes to overhaul Steven Alker for the Charles Schwab Cup.
Harrington shot a 9-under 62 to take a five-shot lead over Alker within the third spherical of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Saturday.
The 2 might be paired once more for Sundays ultimate spherical, with Harrington needing a victory and Alker exterior the highest 5 to win the season-long Schwab Cup.
Ive at all times been a greater chaser than chief, Harrington stated. Well go and see tomorrow what occurs. Ive definitely given myself just a few choices.
Harrington had 4 straight birdies on the again 9 to succeed in 21 underneath within the PGA Tour Champions finale. The run put him in such temper he purchased drinks for followers who had been giving him a tough time on the No. 15 tee at Phoenix Nation Membership.
The three-time PGA Tour main winner closed his bogey-free spherical with a two-putt birdie on No. 18. Alker struggled to get putts to fall and shot 68, however had his third straight bogey-free spherical to succeed in 16 underneath, giving him some cushion within the race for the Schwab Cup.
It is there to take, Alker stated. Ive acquired plenty of chasing to do now to win the match, however yeah, get evenings sleep and well be all proper.
Brian Homosexual shot 66 to succeed in 15 underneath. Alex Cejka is at 14 underneath after a 63, and Retief Goosen shot 68 to hit 13 underneath.
Bernhard Langers bid to match Hale Irwins profession PGA Tour Champions file of 45 wins is out of attain after a 70. He is 8 underneath.
Harrington acquired his spherical off to a implausible begin, rolling in an eagle putt on the par-5 opening gap. The 51-year-old added two birdies to show in 4-under 32 and reeled off 4 straight birdies beginning on No. 11.
Harrington practically drove it onto the road parallel to the par-4 14th, touchdown underneath a tree subsequent to the chain-link fence. He slipped his method shot underneath a limb and landed it for a tap-in birdie, incomes kudos from a bicyclist who had stopped to observe by the fence.
Nice shot, Paddy! he stated. Now knock it in.
Harrington did to succeed in 20 underneath.
On the following tee, Harrington had a tough time getting followers within the grandstand to maneuver their shadows, repeatedly asking them to slip over. He hit his tee shot to twenty toes, elicited laughs with a remark after which opened his pockets, doling out $50 to the followers.
Harrington missed the putt on the par-3 fifteenth, however two-putted for birdie on the par-5 18th for his lowest spherical of the season.
I have been enjoying fairly stable throughout and simply ready for day like in the present day, he stated.
Alker performed the identical regular sport that acquired him to 12 underneath by two rounds, however did not have the identical magic with the putter.
He had a birdie on No. 3 and one other on the par-4 twelfth after practically holing his method shot. Alker chipped it up shut after hitting it by the inexperienced on No. 18 and dropped within the birdie that can hold him within the ultimate group with Harrington for Sundays ultimate spherical.
The remainder of the afternoon was a sequence of close to misses and a nifty up-and-down for par after hitting his second shot by the par-4 seventeenth.
Padraig kicked my [backside] in the present day, that is principally what occurred, Alker stated. He had a pleasant spherical, simply type of pulled away on the again 9.
Alker continues to be in command of the Schwab Cup. He simply must get just a few extra putts to fall to complete off his rise from PGA Tour journeyman to champion of the over-50 circuit.
