Long shots in the hunt for RSM Classic victory
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Two quick birdies and Charles Howell III was five shots ahead.
Four hours later, he was reminded why winning never comes easily, especially for someone who has gone more than 11 years and 332 starts since his last victory.
Howell didn’t make enough birdies Saturday to do much of anything except post a 2-under 68 and keep his name atop the leaderboard at the RSM Classic, only by one shot over PGA Tour rookie Cameron Champ and part-time insurance salesman Jason Gore.
“I have a chance to win the tournament, and I’d have taken that Thursday morning,” Howell said.
He was at 16-under 194. Champ ran off four straight birdies around the turn and shot 4-under 66. A winner at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi last month, this is the 12th time in his last 15 rounds Champ has been in the top 10. Gore, who only a few weeks ago became certified to sell insurance in California, overcame a missed tap-in at the turn with three birdies and an 18-foot eagle putt over his next six holes and shot 66.
Gore only received a sponsor exemption Sunday evening when he was headed to Pebble Beach for an unofficial event. The 44-year-old had to think about accepting it because he hasn’t played in three months, and he hasn’t played the weekend on the PGA Tour since July 2017.
What will today bring?
“I don’t really care, to be honest with you,” Gore said. “What am I going to do tomorrow? I’m going to show up. I’m going to put the tee in the ground and I’m going to hit it. I wish I could give you some profound answer, but that’s really all I’ve got. It’s not going to change my life. Well, it could change my life, but I’m not going to look at it that way, how about that?”
The winner gets an invitation to the Masters.
LPGA: In Naples, Fla., Lexi Thompson has control of the CME Group Tour Championship, and Ariya Jutanugarn is in control of just about everything else.
Thompson’s 4-under 68 on Saturday pushed her to 16 under after three rounds of the LPGA’s season-ending event. She moved three shots clear of Nelly Korda and six ahead of Carlota Ciganda at Tiburon Golf Club. Korda shot her second consecutive 67 to get to 13 under, and Ciganda grinded out a 69 to get to 10-under for the week.
Jutanugarn will start her final round 10 shots back but leading the projected Race to the CME Globe standings and in position to claim the $1 million bonus for winning the LPGA’s season-long points race — which would be her second in three years. Jutanugarn already has clinched player of the year.