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12/06 17:11 CST Sepp Straka surges past Scottie Scheffler to lead in the Bahamas
Sepp Straka surges past Scottie Scheffler to lead in the Bahamas
NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) --- Sepp Straka made three birdies and two eagles on the
par 5s for an 8-under 64 and seized on some late misses by Scottie Scheffler to
take a one-shot lead Saturday going into the final round of the Hero World
Challenge.
Straka chipped in for eagle on the par-5 sixth and played great golf just to
keep pace with Scheffler, who had five straight 3s on his scorecard to start
the third round and was 9 under for his round through 15 holes.
Scheffler, going for a third straight win at Albany Golf Club, has stumbled
over the final three holes every day this week --- a double bogey on the 16th
on Thursday, a bogey on the 16th on Friday, and then a bogey-par-bogey finish.
He still had a 65 and will be in the final group with Straka on Sunday.
Straka seized on the par 5s. Along with his chip-in on the sixth hole, he holed
an 18-foot eagle putt on the downwind, par-5 15th. He also hit a 3-wood that
landed perfectly in front of the green at the par-5 ninth that rolled out to 15
feet for a two-putt birdie.
He trailed Scheffler by three shots through five holes, and by two shots with
four holes left. But Straka was bogey-free on the day and finished at 18-under
198.
"He definitely got it going quick," Straka said of the world's No. 1 player.
"It didn't look like he was going to miss a putt there for a little bit. But
it's golf, it usually evens out a lot and I just tried to focus on my own game."
The only par 4 that Straka birdied was No. 7, where the tee was moved back.
That kept players from trying to drive the green and instead tested them with a
wedge to a dangerous back-left pin. Straka took it on and hit it to 7 feet.
Scheffler, who went left of the 16th fairway the opening two rounds --- one of
those leading to a penalty drop from a bush --- this time found the short grass
and it wasn't much better. He had an awkward stance, tugged it left into a
bunker and the ball buried in the sand, leading to bogey.
He also dropped a shot on the 18th by missing the green to the right --- water
is left --- leaving a tricky pitch up the slope.
"A few unfortunate breaks, but overall did some really good stuff," Scheffler
said.
Alex Noren (67) and Hideki Matsuyama (68) were three shots behind Straka, while
J.J. Spaun and Wyndham Clark each shot 69 and were four behind.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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