Jim Furyk was ready to close the book on a year filled with tough moments. He wasn’t expecting one more chapter.
Three weeks after his Ryder Cup disappointment, Furyk started a third solid round at the McGladrey Classic on St. Simons Island, Ga., with four early birdies Saturday. He finished with a 4-under 66 and a share of the lead with Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III.
Love, the 48-year-old tournament host, was at his best Saturday at Sea Island. His 15-foot birdie on the 18th hole matched Furyk’s 66 and made them co-leaders entering the final round.
Furyk had said this week that even a win would not erase memories of his failure to hold leads at the U.S. Open, the Bridgestone Invitational in a singles math with Sergio Garcia in the Ryder Cup.
“I’m tougher on myself — I promise — than anyone else is,” Furyk said. “So I’ve kicked myself 100 times already.”
Now, there’s one more day in his season. The co-leaders are at 13-under 197, two shots ahead of Arjun Atwal and D.J. Trahan.
ELSEWHERE
Suzann Pettersen shot a 4-under 68 to extend her lead after two rounds of the LPGA Tour’s HanaBank Championship in Incheon, South Korea. Her 13-under 131 leads Korea’s So Yeon Ryu by five shots. … Bo Van Pelt shot a 5-under 67 to take a one-shot lead over fellow American Jason Dufner after three rounds of the European Tour’s Perth International in Australia. … British Open champion Ernie Els pulled out of next week’s Grand Slam in Bermuda with an ankle injury. He will be replaced in the four-man field by Padraig Harrington.
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