Justin Rose builds another big PGA lead

Associated Press

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa.

Justin Rose asked himself some tough, honest questions last week after he blew a three-shot lead in the final round. He hopes to find the right answers in the AT&T National.

With some big par saves in the middle of his round and one last birdie toward the end, Rose shot a 3-under 67 on Saturday to build a four-shot lead over Carl Pettersson (65) and Charlie Wi (70) going into the final round at tough Aronimink Golf Club.

That’s one shot more than the lead he blew last week in the Travelers Championship, a bad day that Rose is determined not to turn into a bad memory.

“If you’re sitting at the top of the leaderboard, it seems like it’s yours to lose,” Rose said. “That’s why a golf tournament is 72 holes. The lead really doesn’t mean much until you close it out. I just know that tomorrow I have a great opportunity again, but I’m more excited about the opportunity of putting into play the lessons I’ve learned in Hartford than actually going out and winning the golf tournament.”

Tiger Woods only gets into contention in the majors these days. In his final tournament before the British Open, he again is out of the mix on Sunday. Woods recovered from an atrocious start with an even-par 70, putting him 13 shots behind.

This will be his seventh tournament without a victory on the PGA Tour, his longest drought since he went 16 straight tournaments in 2004 when he was going through a swing change. The only good news for the tournament is that the massive crowd that followed him around in the morning did not leave Aronimink.

They still were treated to some good golf.

It was the sixth time in his last eight rounds that Rose was atop the leaderboard. Now he gets to try something new. Despite his great run over the last month, Rose has never won a PGA Tour event when leading after 54 holes.

The test figures to come as much from Aronimink as the players behind him.

“It’s tougher to go low around here,” said Rose.