Carl Pettersson couldn’t have had a better time with Colt Knost at the RBC Heritage. He hopes to have as much fun when the two play again today.
Pettersson had five straight birdies on the front nine and finished with a birdie on the 18th hole for a 66. At 12 under, he has a one-stroke lead over Knost heading into the final round of the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, S.C.
Pettersson and Knost chatted and laughed throughout the round, looking more like a pair of duffers at the local muni out for a weekend round rather than pro golfers chasing a PGA Tour title.
“Two fat guys played in three hours, 48 minutes,” Pettersson said with a smile. “That was pretty good. But we had a good time.”
Especially Pettersson, who used his birdie streak to overtake Knost and build a three-shot lead through 10 holes. Knost then found the game that had him in the lead after the first two rounds, tying for the top after Pettersson’s bogey on the par-5 15th hole.
Pettersson moved in front at the end with a stunning approach that slid by the cup on No. 18 for a closing birdie. The two will paired again today for the final round.
“I’m going to try … to have fun,” said Knost, seeking his first win on the PGA Tour.
Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, shot a 66 to move to third at 8 under, four behind Pettersson. Two-time RBC Heritage champion Boo Weekley had a 70 and was in fourth, another shot behind.
Knost’s roller coaster of a round included a 190-yard drive off No. 1 to take bogey followed by an eagle on No. 2 on his way to a 69 at Harbour Town Golf Links.
“I could have got rattled pretty easy after that start,” Knost said. “But like I said, I’m really proud of the way I hung in.”
ALLEN PULLS AWAY
Michael Allen shot a 4-under 67 to take a five-stroke lead after the second round of the Champions Tour’s Encompass Insurance Pro-Am in Lutz, Fla.
Allen played the front nine in even par, then birdied the par-3 11th and made a 40-foot eagle putt on the par-5 12th. He finished with a birdie on the par-4 18th to reach 9 under at TPC Tampa Bay.
OOSTHUIZEN LEADS
South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen had a one-stroke lead with eight holes remaining when third-round play in the Malaysian Open was suspended because of a thunderstorm in Kuala Lumpur.
Oosthuizen, coming off a playoff loss to Bubba Watson in the Masters, was at 13 under on Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club’s West Course. Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher was 12 under.
PUTNAM PLAYS WELL, RICE WITHDRAWS
Lakewood’s Michael Putnam was tied for first place after two rounds of the weather-delayed Nationwide Tour event in Hayward, Calif., where Hall of Fame NFL player Jerry Rice withdrew after playing 27 holes in 23-over par.
Putnam completed two rounds at the TPC Stonebrae Championship in 6-under 134, matching James Nitties and Paul Haley II.
He was three shots out of the lead through 12 holes of the third round, which will be completed today before the final round starts.
Putnam is trying to return to the PGA Tour after he suffered an injury last season. He is scheduled to play the Valero Texas Open next week.
Tracking local golfers on the PGA Tour
This week: RBC Heritage, through today, Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, S.C.
in the Field: Gig Harbor’s Kyle Stanley.
Third-round score: The Clemson product shot a 4-over-par 75.
Position: Stanley (5-over 218) is tied for 64th, 17 strokes behind leader Carl Pettersson (201).
Recap: It was a rough trip around the course by any measure – beginning with back-to-back bogeys at the first two holes. In fact, the former Bellarmine Prep star bogeyed two par-5 holes – a rarity at the elite level – at No. 2 (trouble from fairway bunker) and at No. 15 (approach shot into left-side pond). His only birdie was a near holeout at the 13th hole when his wedge approach stopped 21 inches from the cup.
Tee time today: 5:52 a.m. (PDT) with Lucas Glover.
Todd Milles, todd.milles@thenewstribune.com
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