PADRAIG HARRINGTON IS five shots off the lead heading into the final round of the Champions Tour’s season-ending Charles Schwab Championship in Phoenix, Arizona.
Harrington lost ground after a mixed Saturday in which two bogeys and a double-bogey compromised his six birdies, the Dubliner’s score of 69 leaving him in a tie for third.
New Zealand’s Steven Alker is four clear atop the leaderboard at Phoenix Country Club on 17 under par, adding a third-round 65 to his second-round 64 to pull clear of Germany’s Alex Cejka in standalone second.
Advertisement
Harrington and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee are a stroke further back on 12 under for the tournament.
Three-time major champion Harrington had put himself firmly in contention with a blemishless, eight-birdie 63 on Friday and even took a share of the lead with a routine two-putt birdie of the first on Saturday.
His march was slowed, however, by a bogey on the second followed by a string of pars while Alker began to turn the screw.
Back-to-back birdies on seven and eight and another on 10 took Harrington back to within two of the lead, but a double-bogey six after a wayward tee shot and a three-putt from the fringe put a spanner in the works.
He birdied again on 16 and 17 but bogeyed the last, tweeting his bemusement at his mixed fortunes following his round.
“Golf’s a crazy game,” Harrington said. “Warmed up terribly yesterday and shot 63, warmed up lovely today and shot 69.
“Two sixes coming home cost me dearly. I’m 5 behind in T3 so I need a big day tomorrow.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Harrington loses ground as Alker moves four clear in Phoenix
PADRAIG HARRINGTON IS five shots off the lead heading into the final round of the Champions Tour’s season-ending Charles Schwab Championship in Phoenix, Arizona.
Harrington lost ground after a mixed Saturday in which two bogeys and a double-bogey compromised his six birdies, the Dubliner’s score of 69 leaving him in a tie for third.
New Zealand’s Steven Alker is four clear atop the leaderboard at Phoenix Country Club on 17 under par, adding a third-round 65 to his second-round 64 to pull clear of Germany’s Alex Cejka in standalone second.
Harrington and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee are a stroke further back on 12 under for the tournament.
Three-time major champion Harrington had put himself firmly in contention with a blemishless, eight-birdie 63 on Friday and even took a share of the lead with a routine two-putt birdie of the first on Saturday.
His march was slowed, however, by a bogey on the second followed by a string of pars while Alker began to turn the screw.
Back-to-back birdies on seven and eight and another on 10 took Harrington back to within two of the lead, but a double-bogey six after a wayward tee shot and a three-putt from the fringe put a spanner in the works.
He birdied again on 16 and 17 but bogeyed the last, tweeting his bemusement at his mixed fortunes following his round.
“Golf’s a crazy game,” Harrington said. “Warmed up terribly yesterday and shot 63, warmed up lovely today and shot 69.
“Two sixes coming home cost me dearly. I’m 5 behind in T3 so I need a big day tomorrow.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
charles schwab championship