PRO GOLF roundup

PGA TOUR

Harman overtakes Watson with late birdie in Travelers event

CROMWELL, CONN.

Brian Harman birdied the 18th hole Saturday for a 5-under 65 and a one-stroke lead over fellow Georgia left-hander Bubba Watson and Canadian Graham DeLaet in the Travelers Championship.

Looking for his second PGA Tour victory, Harman had a bogey-free round to take a 14-under 196 total into the final round at TPC River Highlands.

Watson, two strokes ahead after the second round, shot a 68. DeLeat had a 64.

Brandt Snedeker, Paul Casey and Zach Johnson were 11 under. Snedeker had a 63 to match the best round of the day, and Casey and Johnson shot 64.

With a storm heading to Connecticut, officials said Sunday’s round will be played in threesomes, going off the first and 10th tees beginning at 11:30 a.m.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

Temperature cools, but field stays hot in U.S. Senior Open

SACRAMENTO, CALIF.

Bernhard Langer and Jeff Maggert shared the lead over a bunched field heading into the final round of the U.S. Senior Open.

Langer shot a 2-under 68, and Maggert had a 70 on Saturday. They were at 5-under 205 for the championship at Del Paso, where conditions cooled off after consecutive days above 100 degrees.

But the competition remained hot, with eight players within a shot of the lead. That includes Tom Watson, Kenny Perry and defending champion Colin Montgomerie.

The 65-year-old Watson, who was tied with Maggert and Peter Fowler through 36 holes, salvaged after a tough round with a 71. Perry shot a 64 to surge into contention, and Montgomerie had a 70.

Langer is coming off a major victory June 14 in the Senior Players Championship in Massachusetts. Maggert won the Regions Tradition in May in Alabama for his first major title.

LPGA TOUR

Choi matches career-low score to grab third-round lead

ROGERS, ARK.

Na Ye Choi matched her LPGA Tour career low with an 8-under 63 to surge to the top of the leaderboard at 13 under in the NW Arkansas Championship.

Choi, the South Korean player who won the season-opening Coates Golf Championship for her eighth LPGA Tour title, made a 45-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole for a back-nine 29.

She finished her rain-delayed first round with a 66 early Saturday morning, and took the lead with her final putt of the second round.

Mi Jung Hur and Anna Nordqvist were tied for second at 11 under. Hur completed a first-round 63 and shot a 68 in the second. Nordqvist birdied the final hole for a second-round 66.

Defending champion and local favorite Stacy Lewis topped the group at 9 under. She had a 65.

EIROPEAN TOUR

Morrison survives bogey on 18th to grab two-shot lead at BMW

MUNICH

English golfer James Morrison shot a 5-under 67 to claim a two-stroke lead in the third round of the BMW International Open as overnight leader Rafa Cabrera-Bello dropped six off the pace on Saturday.

Morrison, who began the day one stroke behind Spain’s Cabrera-Bello, made six birdies and would be further ahead if not for a bogey on the final hole. He was at 16-under 200 heading into Sunday’s final round on the Eichenried Golf Club course.

Cabrera-Bello had five bogeys and finished with his third birdie for a round of 74 and share of eighth place.

Chris Paisley of England scored 66 to move into second on 14 under, one stroke ahead of Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee (68) and two ahead of Sweden’s Peter Hanson (67).

Spain’s Carlos del Moral, compatriot Pablo Larrazabal, and Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey were tied for fifth, five strokes off the pace. Del Moral shot a 65 for the day’s best round.

After his frustrating round, Cabrera-Bello slipped level with Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat (68) and France’s Victor Dubuisson (67).

Home favorite and 2014 U.S. Open winner Martin Kaymer failed to make the halfway cut.

Associated Press