Kokrak holds lead after three rounds

Former Hubbard standout Alex Antonio is third, six shots behind.
BEACHWOOD, Ohio (AP) -- Jason Kokrak doesn't think his name would be out of place etched on a trophy alongside Arnold Palmer, John Cook and Ben Curtis.
"Those guys were in the same spot I am when they were here," Kokrak said Thursday after shooting a 3-under 68 to take a three-stroke lead heading into the final round of the 100th Ohio Amateur.
Kokrak, a Warren JFK High graduate, is a two-time Ohio high school medalist and low man in the Atlantic-10 Conference tournament the last two years. He stands at 7-under 206 at venerable Canterbury Golf Club in suburban Cleveland. He said he'll swing for the fences with his driver whenever possible Friday.
"My game plan is pretty much to grip it and rip it," Kokrak said. "I rely on my short game to save me."
Middletown's Marty Miller, who started the second round with a two-shot head start on Kokrak, shot a 73 and was at 209.
"Anything under par should give me a pretty good shot," Miller said of his final-round strategy. "I'm only three shots back. I've just got to put pressure on him."
Antonio at 212
The only other player under par through 54 holes is ageless Alex Antonio, a native of Hubbard who now lives in New Albany. The former Ohio State All-American from the 1960s, now 61 with three adult children, shot his second 68 in the third round. Sandwiched around a 76, he's at 1-under 212.
Antonio said he'd be happy to make the cut. Now that he's done that, he's revising his goal.
"Maybe I have to raise the bar and try to win," he said.
Most of the rest of the field had trouble keeping up. The 68s by Kokrak and Antonio were the only subpar scores from the 68 players in the third round. The average score was 76.5 under sunny skies and in high humidity.
Miller shot a 73. Fourth-place Andy Miller (no relation) shot a 74. Former Princeton Tiger golfer Jason Gerken started the day in second place but sagged to a 78.
Kokrak, 21, had nine straight pars on the backside, getting up and down twice for par.
Kokrak, who plays on the Xavier golf team, didn't play the past two years because he was competing in the U.S. Public Links.