Glenn Ralph makes Scottish Senior Open

his first ever win on over-50s pro tour

From Steve Todd, European Senior Tour Press Officer
Glenn Ralph clinched his maiden European Senior Tour victory in the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open, finishing one stroke clear of compatriot Bob Cameron and Argentine Luis Carbonetti to cap a remarkable comeback from injury.
Ralph, whose previous best finish was runner up in the 2007 Scandinavian Senior Open, had been out of the game for 14 months following a broken right ankle sustained in a swimming pool accident on holiday in Mauritius.
He finished tied sixth on his comeback in the season opening Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum but his €39,353 first prize over the Torrance course at Fairmont St Andrews is the biggest cheque of his career, eclipsing his payday in Scandinavian and his best showing on The European Tour, in the 1987 Swiss Open.
“It’s unbelievable – I could have cried on the last hole,” said the 53 year old, who becomes the eighth English winner of the Scottish Senior Open and fifth player to win his maiden Senior Tour title in 2009. “It was too emotional to talk about. I was just trying to keep it under control.
“Any victory would have been big – I just wanted to win. I’ve never won on Tour in my life. I’ve been close enough times but couldn’t quite find it. I just felt better today – I don’t know why.
“I felt calmer until I got on the last green when it went a bit wobbly there. What a great place to get my first victory though – the Home of Golf. It couldn’t be better.”
Ralph, who moves from 30th to ninth in Senior Tour Order of Merit, had started the day a shot behind overnight leader Cameron after a fine second round 67.
He opened his final round with a birdie but immediately followed with a bogey before an eagle three on the par five sixth and a birdie on the seventh moved him to the top of the leaderboard.
The Camberley Heath professional found the bunker on the 12th and made bogey but a run of six straight pars saw him finish on eight under par 209 to clinch a satisfying first trophy which he thought he might never achieve following his career threatening injury.
“It was all a bit of a surprise when I came back as I hadn’t played for so long,” he said. “I had the plates redone and the screws taken out. When you come back it is difficult to know how you are going to do.
“The specialist told me although the bone had healed the break was at the bottom and they couldn’t join it properly. You always think ‘am I going to do it again?’. Age was not on my side.
“In the first tournament back I played well and felt good ever since. I’ve been driving it lovely which is important, particularly round here. I drove well all week. I hit nearly every fairway today. I hit one bunker on 12 and that was it.”
Carbonetti, looking for his first win since 2005, had been level with Ralph until a bogey on the 17th hole proved decisive as he carded a 71, while Cameron’s challenge faltered with a double bogey on the 11th to sign for a 72.
Australian Peter Senior finished a credible fourth on his Senior Tour debut – three shots of the pace – while Gordon Brand Jnr was the leading Scot on three under par after a final round 73.
Ian Woosnam closed the gap on Mark McNulty at the top of the Order of Merit after closing with a 74 to finish in a share of 14th place, while fellow former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance, who designed the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews, was tied 39th after struggling in the first round with a back injury.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
208 G Ralph (Eng) 71 67 70,
209 B Cameron (Eng) 69 68 72, L Carbonetti (Arg) 69 69 71,
211 P Senior (Aus) 70 70 71,
212 C Mason (Eng) 71 68 73, R Chapman (Eng) 71 69 72,
213 G Brand Jnr (Sco) 71 69 73,
214 T Johnstone (Zim) 71 70 73, B Longmuir (Sco) 72 73 69,
216 S Bennett (Eng) 74 72 70, A Murray (Eng) 72 72 72, T Giedeon (Ger) 73 71 72, A Franco (Par) 73 75 68,
217 P Mitchell (Eng) 73 71 73, R Drummond (Sco) 69 70 78, G Cali (Ita) 74 71 72, I Woosnam (Wal) 71 72 74,
218 M Williams (Zim) 76 76 66, D Smyth (Irl) 72 76 70, B Boyd (USA) 71 78 69, E Darcy (Irl) 74 75 69, J Rivero (Esp) 73 73 72,
219 C Williams (RSA) 74 74 71, S Owen (Nzl) 73 70 76,
220 M Harwood (Aus) 74 73 73, G Ryall (Eng) 71 75 74, B Lincoln (RSA) 74 72 74, S Ginn (Aus) 76 70 74,
221 I Mosey (Eng) 77 71 73, P Allan (Eng) 72 77 72, G Towne (USA) 73 75 73, T Gale (Aus) 74 76 71, D Johnson (USA) 71 69 81,
222 D Cambridge (Jam) 77 72 73, B McColl (Sco) 74 72 76, D Hospital (Esp) 75 73 74, G Brand (Eng) 75 72 75, B Charles (Nzl) 76 71 75,
223 M Cunning (USA) 75 77 71, E Rodriguez (Esp) 73 74 76, J Bland (RSA) 76 74 73, H Carbonetti (Arg) 73 74 76, S Torrance (Sco) 75 78 70, N Ratcliffe (Aus) 73 74 76, M Miller (Sco) 77 70 76,
224 J Hall (Eng) 76 75 73,
226 J Bruner (USA) 77 75 74, M Farry (Fra) 76 74 76, P Oakley (USA) 73 77 76, G Encina (Chi) 76 74 76, D Merriman (Aus) 73 74 79,
227 M Clayton (Aus) 77 75 75, J Rhodes (Eng) 78 79 70, D Durnian (Eng) 72 72 83, M Piñero (Esp) 75 78 74, A Barrera (Arg) 75 77 75,
228 J Chillas (Sco) 74 78 76,
229 B Smit (RSA) 73 81 75, J Heggarty (Nir) 74 81 74,
230 E Polland (Nir) 81 72 77, D O'Sullivan (Irl) 78 77 75,
232 J Hawkes (RSA) 79 81 72, D Russell (Eng) 80 74 78, G Hopkins (USA) 78 76 78,
233 D Good (Aus) 80 76 77, K Spurgeon (Eng) 81 72 80, A Fernandez (Chi) 77 82 74, A Garrido (Esp) 77 77 79,
238 M Bembridge (Eng) 81 77 80,
239 V Garcia (Esp) 80 75 84,
260 R Hopkins (USA) 86 84 90,
Withdrew: N Job (Eng) 74 76 WD,

Double Dutch for Simon Dyson as he beats

Hedblom, Peter Lawrie in KLM play-off

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
England's Simon Dyson won KLM Open in Holland today- with an 18-foot birdie putt at the first hole of a play-off - just as he did on the same Kennemer course three years ago.
In 2006 it was Australian Richard Green he beat. This time he shot a course record-equalling 63 to come from six behind and then defeat Ireland's Peter Lawrie and Sweden's Peter Hedblom in "extra time."
Dyson, overnight leader Hedblom and Lawrie all finished the regulation 72 holes on 15-under-par 265.
Lawrie was one ahead of Dyson with three to play, but bogeyed the 16th and then Hedblom hit the flag with his tee shot to the 170yd 17th and stopped two feet away.
He had a 25-foot putt chance to win on the last, but pushed it wide.
Fourth and fifth places went to two more Irishmen - Damien McGrane, who playing with Dyson shot 64, and defending champion Darren Clarke.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70)
265 Simon Dyson 67 67 68 63, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 66 66 64 69, Peter Lawrie 65 68 65 67 (Dyson won three-way play-off at first extra hole).
266 Damien McGrane 67 67 68 64
267 Jamie Donaldson 66 68 66 67, Darren Clarke 65 67 67 68
268 Bradley Dredge 66 67 69 66
269 Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 69 65 66 69
270 Niclas Fasth (Swe) 69 68 67 66
271 Alexander Noren (Swe) 72 66 64 69, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 66 69 69 67
272 Oskar Henningsson (Swe) 67 66 69 70, Barry Lane 68 68 65 71, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 69 69 65 69
273 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 68 71 66 68, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 70 67 73 63, Andrew Coltart 68 69 69 67, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 67 68 71 67, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 68 67 66 72, Shane Lowry 66 68 71 68, Richard Green (Aus) 69 67 69 68, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 74 64 65 70
274 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 71 67 67 69, Paul Lawrie 66 68 69 71, Markus Brier (Aut) 67 69 65 73
275 Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 67 67 70 71, Richie Ramsay 69 68 66 72, Gareth Maybin 67 68 69 71, Phillip Price 66 72 68 69, Kenneth Ferrie 66 67 67 75, David Lynn 68 68 68 71, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 68 71 67 69, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 66 67 71 71, Paul McGinley 64 70 70 71
276 Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 70 69 69 68, Garry Houston 67 70 67 72, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 71 68 69 68, David Horsey 73 66 68 69, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 69 69 73 65, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 70 68 70 68, Marcus Higley 71 63 67 75, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 70 64 70 72, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 72 63 68 73
277 Christian Cevaer (Fra) 70 66 67 74, Benn Barham 71 68 69 69, Mark Foster 69 68 73 67
278 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 70 66 70 72, Mark Brown (Nzl) 68 71 68 71, Simon Khan 68 71 68 71, David Drysdale 72 65 72 69, Jorge Campillo (Spa) 65 71 74 68, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 70 67 72 69, Sam Little 70 67 63 78, Ross McGowan 70 67 71 70
279 Chris Wood 71 68 68 72, Gary Orr 64 73 71 71, Guido Van Der Valk (Ned) 71 67 71 70
280 Simon Wakefield 69 68 71 72
281 Peter O'Malley (Aus) 69 70 71 71, Graeme Storm 71 67 74 69
282 Callum Macaulay 66 73 71 72, Michael Jonzon (Swe) 69 69 74 70, Miles Tunnicliff 70 69 70 73
283 Sion Bebb 71 67 67 78
284 Jeppe Huldahl (Den) 69 69 76 70
285 Ulrich Van Den Berg (Rsa) 69 68 73 75, Phillip Archer 74 64 78 69
289 David Dixon 72 66 81 70

Alyth man's second win in North of Scotland open amateur stroke-play

KEVIN McALPINE WINS DAVID BLAIR TROPHY

BY FOUR SHOTS AT LOSSIEMOUTH

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Former Scottish stroke-play and match-play champion Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) was a smooth an impressive winner of the North of Scotland open amateur stroke-play golf championship by four strokes over the Moray Golf Club Old Course today.
The 25-year-old son of the former Dundee United goalkeeper, Hamish McAlpine, had rounds of 69, 68, 70 and 67 for a 1o-under-par aggregate of 274.
In theory Kevin was put under pressure by a brilliant Sunday best from Downfield’s Ross Bell who covered the last two rounds in 10-under-par 132 – two 66s – to set the clubhouse target of six-under-par 278.
That meant that McAlpine, leader by two shots at the halfway stage and five clear from Bell after 54 holes, had to score at least a one-under-par 70 in his last round to win.
In reality, Kevin coasted to victory with final-round birdies at the first, sixth, seventh, ninth, 10th, 11th and 13th to compensate for bogeys at the third, fifth and 12th,
McAlpine required a cruciate ligament knee operation on February 4 after injuring playing football. He was out of golf until making a tournament comeback in the East of Scotland Open at the end of June.
This was his fifth tournament on the comeback trail.
“I hit the ball well and holed a few putts in the last round. It was probably the best I’ve played over four rounds since I came back to golf,” said Kevin.
“The knee injury ruined all my hopes of chasing a Walker Cup place and playing in the home internationals but I’m still going to have a second go at the Tour School.”
By a curious conincidence, all McAlpine's big wins have been scored at North venues - the Scottish match-play championship at Nairn, the Scottish stroke-play championship at Royal Dornoch, and now the North of Scotland open stroke-play for the David Blair Trophy twice ... he won it at Nairn Dunbar in 2006. Perhaps the fact that they are all excellent links courses has had something to do with it.

Ross Bell’s two 66s catapulted him into contention on the final day. He had 11 birdies over the two dream rounds which saw him finished five shot clear of the third-placed Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) who lost a play-off to Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) for this championship 12 months ago at Nairn.
Nicol and Philip McLean (Peterhead) , who had contested a play-off in the previous weekend’s North-east District Open at Peterhead, finished in joint seventh position on 286. Nicol had Sunday rounds of 67 and 69 after saddling himself with a 78 in Saurday’s second round.
McLean killed off his hopes with a quadruple bogey 8 at the 13th in a third-round 77 which also included double bogey 6s at the second and seventh hole. Philip steadied up with a closing round of 70. .
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71) CSS 73 73 73 73.
274 Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) 69 68 70 67.
278 Ross Bell (Downfield) 75 71 66 66.
283 Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) 73 70 70 70.
284 Mark Bookless (Sandyhills) 71 69 74 70.
285 Daniel Somerville (St Andrews) 70 75 72 68, Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth) 74 71 69 71.
286 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) 72 78 67 69, Peter Spearman-Burn (NZ) 75 71 71 69, Michael Daily (Erskine) 70 74 70 72, Danny Edwards (Elgin) 72 71 72 71, Philip McLean (Peterhead) 71 68 77 70..
288 Gary Thomson (Moray) 75 74 68 71, Alex Main (Thornton) 74 71 73 70.
289 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 74 74 67 74, Calum Stewart (Brora) 72 73 7173.
291 Malcolm MacLeman (Moray) 77 70 77 67, Kevin Matheson (Royal Dornoch) 72 70 78 71
292 Mark Hillson (Craigielaw) 76 72 71 73.
294 Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) 74 75 72 73, Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 75 72 72 75, Gordon Yates (Hilton Park) 69 73 79 73.
295 Michael Main (Thornton) 72 71 77 75, Graham Robertson (Silverknowes) 75 67 78 75.
296 Mike MacDonald (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 74 76 75 71, Ian Angus (Duff House Royal)75 75 75 71. Richard Graham (Hayston) 68 81 72 75, Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) 71 72 77 76..
297 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 75 74 73 75.
298 Gregor Stewart (Murcar Links) 73 74 76 75, Dean Yeats (Nigg Bay) 74 68 75 81..
299 Darren Gould (Ladybank) 79 71 77 72, John Duff (Newmachar) 73 77 72 77, Robert Sheils (Moray) 74 74 78 73.
300 Ewan Forbes (Inverness) 75 75 80 70, Kevin Thomson (Moray) 74 75 71 80, Robert McKerron (Forres) 75 74 77 74, Michael Watson (Elgin) 73 75 75 77.
304 Graham Murray (Cullen) 75 71 80 78.
305 Lyle McAlpine (Invergordon) 74 75 79 77.
309 Christopher Forman (Peterehead) 76 71 85 77.
NRs: Allan Cameron (Inverness) 76 74 79 NR, Scott Little (Moray) 71 74 86 NR.
Retired (ill): Sam Binning (Ramfurly Castle) 75 74 - -.

McAlpine leads by five from Bell after

three rounds at Lossiemouth

Overnight leader Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) has extended his lead to five shots with 18 holes to play in the North of Scotland men’s open amateur stroke-play championship for the David Blair Trophy over the Moray Golf Club’s Old Course at Lossiemouth this morning.
After overnight rain which spilled over into an hour or two of the morning’s play, the greens were receptive to accurate approach shots and there were several sub-par scores.
Lowest score of the championship so far was a five-under-par 66 by Ross Bell (Downfield).in the third round.
That lifted him up into second place on one-under 212 after earlier efforts of 75 and 71.
With Philip McLean (Peterhead), who had been McAlpine’s closest rival overnight, drifting out of the picture with a 77 for 216, it was Bell who had suddenly become McAlpine’s nearest, if distant threat at the start of the final round.
McAlpine, a former Scottish stroke and match-play champion, had a third round 70 for a six-under-par tally of 207.
Winner of the David Blair Trophy at Nairn Dunbar in 206, the Alyth man looked a short-price favourite to win the title for a second time.
Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn), beaten by Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) in a play-off for this championship at Nairn 12 months ago, took up third place on 213 with his second 70 in a row.

THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71) CSS 73 73 73
207 Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) 68 68 70.
212 Ross Bell (Downfield) 75 71 66.
213 Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) 73 70 70.
214 Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth) 74 71 69, Michael Daily (Erskine) 70 74 70, Mark ~Bookless (Sandyhills) 71 69 74..
215 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 74 74 67, Danny Edwards (Elgin) 72 71 72.
216 Calum Stewart (Brora) 72 73 71, Philip McLean (Peterhead) 71 68 77.
217 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) 72 78 67, Gary Thomson (Moray) 75 74 68, Peter Spearman-Burn (NZ) 75 71 71, Daniel Somerville (St Andrews) 70 75 72, Dean Yeats (Nigg Bay) 74 68 75.
218 Alex Main (Thornton) 74 71 73.
.219 Mark Hillson (Craigielaw) 76 72 71, Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 75 72 72.,
220 Kevin Thomson (Moray) 74 75 71, Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) 71 72 77, Michael Main (Thornton) 72 71 77, Graham Robertson (Silverknowes) 75 67 78, Kevin Matheson (Royal Dornoch) 70 72 78..
221 Richard Graham (Hayston) 68 81 72, Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) 74 75 72, Gordon Yates (Hilton Park) 69 73 79. .
222 John Duff (Newmachar) 73 77 72, Ian Angus (Duff House Royal) 75 75 72, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 75 74 73.
223 Michael Watson (Elgin) 73 75 75, Gregor Stewart (Murcar Links) 73 74 76.
224 Malcolm McLeman (Moray) 77 70 77.
225 Mike MacDonald (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 74 76 75,
226 Robert McKerron (Forres) 75 74 77, Robert Sheils (Moray) 74 74 78, Graham Murray (Cullen) 75 71 80.
227 Darren Gould (Ladybank) 79 71 77.
228 Lyle McAlpine (Invergordon) 75 74 79.
229 Allan Cameron (Inverness) 76 74 79.
230 Euan Forbes (Inverness) 75 75 80.
231 Scott Little (Moray) 71 74 86.
232 Christopher Forman (Peterhead) 76 71 85.

Aberdeen-born Sim leads by three: Victory

will gain him immediate US Tour place

Aberdeen-born Australian Michael Sim, 24, is one good round away from putting a record-setting stamp on the 2009 US Nationwide Tour season. Sim posted a 6-under 65 in Saturday's third round of the inaugural Christmas In October Classic to take a three-stroke lead heading into Sunday's finale at the Nicklaus Golf Club at Lionsgate, Kansas.
Sim, a former world-ranked No 1 amateur, stands alone at 16-under 197, three in front of Josh Teater (63), Steve Wheatcroft (67) and Tom Gillis (68).
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Related Links
Leaderboard: Scores
See Sim's card
Photo gallery
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Hunter Haas (66) is four shots back of Sim, who has already won twice this season and would earn a "battlefield promotion" to the US PGA Tour for the rest of the year with a third victory.
"I feel great. My game is back to where it was at the start of the year and I'm making putts," said Sim, who took time away from the Nationwide Tour this summer and made the cut in the U.S. Open (T18) and last week's US PGA Championship (T51).
"I took a look at the leaderboard and there are a lot of guys bunched up there so tomorrow I'm going to have to play as well as I did today."
With no wind, soft conditions, wide fairways and perfect greens, Saturday's round was set up for low scores. The scoring average of 68.985 was nearly three full strokes below the 71.810 average on Friday when northwest winds were steady at 20 mph.
Sim has been steady and nearly perfect for the first 54 holes with 18 birdies and only two bogeys, both of which came on his closing holes during the first and second rounds. Other than those hiccups, Sim has put the field on notice that Sunday might be graduation day.
"He's always on your mind when you look at the leaderboards," said Wheatcroft. "You've got to know where he is."
In only 11 starts, Sim has earned $414,579, the seventh-best single-season total in the Nationwide Tour's 20-year history. A win Sunday will make him the first to top the half-million dollar mark.
Sim shared the second-round lead with Gillis and Paul Claxton (72-204) and steadily pulled away from his challengers. A chip-in birdie at No. 9 got him to 14-under par.
"I've been practising that shot a lot and I haven't chipped one in in a while," said Sim of his 15-footer. "Sometimes you get over a chip and think 'I can make this.' You can see the line and you like the lie and sometimes all you have to do it get it on the green and let it roll out. That's what I had and I played it perfectly."
Playing partner Gillis followed up with a 25-foot birdie of his own to remain one back at the turn. Sim got up and down for par from 30 yards at No. 11 and then pulled away with back-to-back birdies on his next two holes. When Gillis bogeyed No. 13, Sim's lead was up to three. He closed with five straight pars to complete a bogey-free day and establish himself as the one to beat.
"Tiger lost a lead at the PGA so anything is possible," said Wheatcroft about the prospect of catching Sim.
The prospects may not seem bright because Sim feels that he's back on his game thanks to a visit from his coach the past two weeks.
"He got me back on track," said Sim, who missed the cut in his previous start on this Tour. "I haven't felt comfortable with my swing the last few events. I've never really had the same swing and the same feels since taking four weeks off after the US Open. I feel like we've got it sorted out now. It's nice to see the ball going where I want it to go."
Gillis had a front-row seat Saturday was impressed by the Aussie's solid play.
"He really didn't do anything spectacular. He didn't put together any string of birdies. He was just steady," said Gillis, who is No. 3 on the money list and will join Sim on the US PGA Tour next year, although he will have to wait until the end of the season to be promoted among the top Nationwide money-winners.
"It was a ho-hum round. I'm still in good position but I think to have any chance tomorrow somebody's going to have to get to 20-under."
• Sim is tied with Haas for No. 1 in putting. Each has 77 putts through 54 holes.

Bryant leads seniors by two in Oregon

Texan Brad Bryant holds a two-stroke advantage over the field going into the final round of the Jeld-Wen Tradition tournament at the Crosswater Golf Club in central Oregon.
Bryant shot a five-under 67 on Saturday to put him at 15 under after three rounds of the US Champions (Seniors) Tour major. He stayed at the top of the the leaderboard after shooting a career-best 10-under 62 in the opening round, matching a tournament record.
Mike Reid finished with a 66 and was two shots back at 13 under.
Bryant is bidding for his second major championship on the over-50s tour after winning the 2007 U.S. Senior Open.
Tom Watson rebounded after a struggling in the second round.
After an opening round 67, Watson had four bogeys and a double bogey on Friday for a 74.
On Saturday he shot a 69 with four birdies and a single bogey on the par-3 No. 17 hole at Crosswater.
Going into the final round of the fourth major of the Champions Tour, Watson was at 6-under. But with the leader Brad Bryant at 15 under, it should be difficult to make up ground.
``I'm just a little off with my putter,'' he said. ``I made some changes in my putting, but I haven't seen the results I wanted to. But I will. I'm confident.''
Watson won the Tradition in 2003.

Garcia, Riley share Wyndham lead

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Sergio Garcia and Chris Riley share the lead in the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro after bad light again forced an early close to proceedings at the Sedgefield Country Club.
Both players were 13 under par through 10 third-round holes when conditions deteriorated. They will resume early, local time, to do battle for sole ownership of pole position on the leaderboard.
Steve Marino is top of the standings among those who have finished 54 holes, with a third round 63 seeing him to a 12-under total of 198.
Also on 12 under are Fred Couples (through 12 holes) Kevin Stadler (through 11) and Justin Rose (through 13).
Brandt Snedeker and Bill Haas are a stroke further back, with four and eight holes left to play respectively.
Englishman Brian Davis is seven under after a round of 68, while Scot Martin Laird signed for a 69 to close six-under overall.