PAPPAS DECLARED NATIONWIDE TOUR WINNER AFTER 36 HOLES

FROM THE US NATIONWIDE TOUR WEBSITE
BOGOTA, Colombia -- Brenden Pappas of South Africa was declared the winner of the Pacific Rubiales Bogotá Open today when lightning cancelled the third round and forced the Nationwide Tour to enter the tournament as a 36-hole event in its record book.
The 40-year-old Pappas posted rounds of 67-66--133 (-9) for his first two trips around Bogota Country Club. Pappas' group had played three holes before players were pulled off the golf course for the last time just before 2 p.m.
Floridian Matt Every finished second, having shot a pair of 67s in the first two rounds.
As it turns out, Pappas' birdie on his 36th hole on Saturday was the margin of victory over Every.
Five players including Colombian David Vanegas tied for third at 7-under par.
Mother Nature was at least a co-winner alongside Pappas, with rain being a factor every day of the US PGA Tour's lone sanctioned event in South America. The first round was not completed until Saturday and the last putt of the second round not was holed until 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
The goal of Nationwide Tour officials was to complete a 54-hole official money and official tournament on Sunday. As a result of only playing 36 holes, Pappas earned $108,000 in official money and is credited with an unofficial win.
"This was a hollow victory because it's unofficial," the winner said. "We didn't get to play 72 holes, but it's a victory nonetheless."
Pappas rededicated himself to his game this year after suffering through a disappointing year on the US Tour in 2010 when he finished 197th on the money list.
"My goal this year is to be No. 1 on the money list and it hasn't been in the past," the 1993 University of Arkansas graduate said. "I had some very stern conversations with myself in the off season, trying to decide what I actually wanted to do with my game. It must have paid off. I'm in the waning light of my career so I've got to get it done right now. There's no more tomorrow or next year."
Pappas took a moment at the trophy ceremony to thank the people of Colombia for welcoming the Nationwide Tour for the second year in a row. "This was my first trip to Bogota and it was fantastic," he said. "The people are such spirits and the golf course was a terrific old-styled course, the kind the players love to play."
The last time the Nationwide Tour had a 36-hole finish was the 2008 HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship, with Darren Stiles declared the champion.
After opening the 2011 season in Panama and Colombia, the Nationwide Tour plays its first tournament on U.S. soil, the Chitimacha Louisiana Open, March 24-27.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
133 Brenden Pappas (S Africa) 67 66.
134 Matt Every (US) 67 67.
Selected totals:
142 Greg Owen (England) 70 72, Gary Christian (England) 73 69 (T49).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE US TOUR WEBSITE

CLICK HERE

SABBATINI, FIVE AHEAD AFTER ROUND 3, WINS HONDA BY ONE SHOT

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida (AP) — Rory Sabbatini began the day with a five-stroke lead, turned back a challenge on the back nine and shot an even-par 70 Sunday for a one-stroke victory in the Honda Classic over the PGA National's testing Champions Course.
Sabbatini sank a 2ft par putt on No. 18 to finish at 9-under 271. He earned his first US PGA Tour title since the 2009 Byron Nelson Championship and sixth overall. The cash reward for the South African was $1,008,000.

South Korean YE Yang birdied the 13th, 15th and 18th for a closing 66 to finish on 272. 
American Jerry Kelly, who played with Sabbatini and Yang in the final threesome, shot a 67 and took third at 283.
After No. 8 Sabbatini still enjoyed a five-shot lead, but Yang was within one seven holes later, thanks in part to birdies on Nos. 12 and 14. Sabbatini sank a 16ft birdie putt on No. 16 to regain control.
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell and England's winner of last week, Luke Donald, finished on a high.
McDowell, although he had no chance of winning, equalled Sabbatini's earlier course record of six-under-par 64 and finished on two-under-par 278.
Donald had a 66 for 279 and is tied 10th.
Lee Westwood failed to make the first three, which would have restored him to No 1 in the world rankings. He finished joint with a level-par 70.


LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70)
271 Rory Sabbatini (S Africa) 71 64 66 70
272 Y E Yang (S Korea) 68 71 67 66.
273 Jerry Kelly (US) 71 67 68 67.
276 Ricky Barnes (US) 70 68 71 67,
277 Tommy Gainey (US) 71 67 71 68.
278 Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) 73 71 70 64, Jeff Overton (US) 69 72 69 68, Matt Bettencourt (US) 70 70 69 69, Gary Woodland (US) 71 68 68 71.
Selected final totals
279 Luke Donald (England) 73 68 72 66 (T10).
284 Lee Westwood (England) 70 69 75 70 (T28).
285 Ian Poulter (England) 74 71 73 67 (T35).
296 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 73 71 77 75 (T70)


VIEW ALL THE SCORES, CHECK THE SCORECARDS ON THE US TOUR WEBSITE

CLICK HERE

MIKEL BREAKS SAMANAH COURSE RECORD WITH A 10-UNDER 62

eGolf Tour rookie Mikel Martinson broke the course record over the Jack Nicklaus-designed Samanah course record, pictured right, at Marrakech, Morocco today with a 10-under 62 in the first round of the Samanah Classic. His brilliant scorecard included a bogey at the 18th!
This is the first of two events behind staged in Morocco by the North Carolina-based eGolf Tour.
There's a huge field with such luminaries as Zane Scotland in it.
Any concerns that Mikel Martinson may have had about adapting to professional golf on the continent of Africa were quickly put to rest on Sunday afternoon. Playing in one of the day’s early threesomes, the native Texan blistered the Samanah Country Club lay-out to the tune of nine birdies and an eagle en route to a course-record-setting 62 and the first-round lead in the eGolf Tour’s inaugural Samanah Classic.
Martinson, who hails from Lubbock, Texas, began his opening round on the front nine and immediately had a good feeling about his day.
"I thought the course suited my eye in the practice rounds since it has a real American feel to it,” Martinson said of the Jack Nicklaus-designed layout. “I think the golf course really fits me well."
That latter sentence could be in early contention for 2011 understatement of the year.
A benign opening par at the par-4 first quickly gave way to a torrid stretch on Samanah’s front nine for Martinson, as he would post birdies at Nos. 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8 to rapidly ascend to 5-under on the day through just eight holes. An eagle at the par-5 ninth would cap off an outward nine of 7-under 29 for Martinson, and would set the tone for more of the same on Samanah’s closing nine.
"The putts were just falling early on,” said Martinson. “I hit it really well on the front nine and managed to knock a few close to start the day. All of that combined really got me going.”
Birdies at 11, 12 and 13 would take Martinson to 10-under on his round with five holes to play. Trying his hardest not to let any thoughts of “59” creep in his head, Martinson posted pars at 14 and 15 before adding yet another birdie at the par-5 16th to move to 11-under on the day.
With two holes to play, and two birdies needed to reach that magic number of 59, Martinson’s day ended with a par at 17 and a disappointing bogey at the par-4 18th.
"Coming down 18 at 11-under, I was just trying to be patient,” said Martinson of his hiccup at the last. “I knew how I stood, but I still tried to block everything out.”
Regardless of his round-closing bogey at 18, Martinson’s stellar 10-under 62 set a new course record at Samanah, eclipsing the old mark by two shots.
"It was just one of those days, and I’m glad it came here in Morocco,” Martinson said. “Everyone here has been great to us thus far. It has been a lot of fun and I’m hoping that my play continues to reflect that.”
Martinson played his college golf at Wayland Baptist University, where he was a two-time NAIA “All America” selection. Playing at a smaller school did not put him on the front page of many newspapers, but his win at the prestigious 2009 Texas State Open likely did. The tournament, which boasts past champions such as Lee Trevino, Ben Crenshaw and Jack Burke Jr., was Martinson’s first professional win and added that tiny bit of confidence that is needed on all levels of golf.
"It definitely boosts my confidence,'' Martinson said at the time. “I was kind of, not doubting myself, but this kind of woke me up and made me realize I can compete with these guys. I kind of proved to myself that I could do it out here.''
Martinson finished T51 in the tour’s season-opening Swiftwick Shootout at Palmetto Hall, but seems well on his way to establishing himself as one of the better players on the country’s de facto No. 3 tour.
Alone in second place is former Wake Forest golfer Chris McCartin of Arlington, Virginia. McCartin posted a round of 8-under 64 to trail Martinson by two shots heading into Monday’s second round of the 72-hole event.
McCartin’s 64 was punctuated by a five-hole birdie stretch during the middle of his round on Nos. 9-13 that would vault the soft-spoken Virginian to 8-under on his day before a bogey-par-birdie-par-par finish would leave him there at it’s conclusion.
The 64 marks a career best for McCartin on the eGolf Tour.
In solo third, three shots behind Martinson, is Billy Hurley of Annapolis, Maryland. Hurley posted a bogey-free round of 7-under 65 settle inside the top five at day’s end. Hurley was the only player in the entire field to post a bogey-free round on Sunday.
Hurley is likely right at home playing abroad and testing his game on the world’s stage. A former first-team “All American” and United States Walker Cup player while attending the Naval Academy, Hurley turned professional immediately after college and won his first pro title at the eGolf Tour’s Cedarwood Classic in the fall of 2006.
In the summer of 2007, he began a two-year station at Pearl Harbour, where he would be based when not at sea – all as part of his Naval Academy commitment. From January to June of 2009, Hurley was based out of the South China Sea and the Red Sea. His Naval requirement ended shortly thereafter, and he was free to pursue his professional career.
After finishing T127 at PGA TOUR Q-School last December, Hurley enters 2011 with conditional status on the Nationwide Tour, and plans to split time between the eGolf and Nationwide Tours, as a member of both.
Tied for fourth with opening rounds of 5-under 67 are Ryan Carter, Phillip Mollica and Nick Taylor.
Taylor, who hails from British Columbia, Canada, is making his first career eGolf Tour start after finishing a standout career at the University of Washington in 2010. The Husky star was a three-time “All America” selection and was the recipient of the 2010 Ben Hogan Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate player.
Following the conclusion of 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 60 players and ties.


TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE TOURNAMENT WEBSITE

CLICK HERE


NOTE FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON
If the American pros think there's no danger attached to playing golf in Morocco - you should be thinking along the same lines with a view to playing in either or both of the Morocco double-header tournaments in October.

October 8 to 15: The 2nd Morocco Golf Festival at five different courses around Marrakech, including Samanah.

October 18-19-20-21: The inaugural Moroccan international men's women's and seniors' amateur championships at Agadir where there will also be a 54-hole Stableford event for all those who don't have low enough handicaps to play in the championships.

+All the details and how to enter available by logging on to http://www.morocco4golf.com/
Mohamed Fakir of Menara Travel will arrange your flights, your hotel booking, your tournament entry fees and your transfers from airport to hotel to golf course and back again ... for no extra charge.
Any queries? E-mail Tournament Director Colin Farquharson at Colin@scottishgolfview.com

PLAY GOLF IN AFRICA FOR A WEEK ... BRAG ABOUT IT FOR A YEAR

LAURIE WINS SPANISH FINAL AT A CANTER AGAINST HODGSON

Laurie Canter with the Spanish international championship trophy.

Laurie Canter, 20, from Saltford Golf Club, Somerset, showed no mercy on 21-year-old Stiggy Hodgson from the Sunningdale club, in today's all-English 36-hole final of the Spanish international men's amateur championship at El Prat Golf Club. Canter won by 11 and 10, having been nine holes up at the end of the morning round.
Canter, who has a handicap of +5, was 29th of the 32 qualifiers for the match-play stages after two rounds of stroke-play qualifying. Hodgson, who plays off +2.8, was 15th in the qualifying.
Both men are likely to be in the GB and Ireland team for the Walker Cup match against the Americans at Royal Aberdeen in September. Hodgson played in the 2009 match in the States.
England also provided the winner of the first big event of the 2011 amateur season - the Portuguese international men's amateur championship, won by Eddie Pepperell, who did not qualify for the match-play stages of the "Spanish."

FINAL (36 HOLES) - Canter bt Hodgson 11 and 10.

SOUTH AFRICAN WILLIAMS SCORES FIRST SENIOR TOUR WIN

 Chris Williams, winner of The Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum(©Getty Images).

By STEVE TODD
European Seniors Tour Press Officer
South African Chris Williams claimed his maiden European Senior Tour title in spectacular fashion today with a seven under par final round 64 to win The Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum.
Williams finished second to Boonchu Ruagnkit on the2010 Senior Tour Order of Merit after a series of near-misses but he succeeds Ruangkit as champion in Brunei following a dramatic final-day comeback at The Empire Hotel and Country Club.
After finishing runner up three times in two seasons on the Senior Tour, and recording 12 top ten finishes last year – the most of any player – Williams admitted it was a huge relief to finally get his hands on a trophy.
“The first one is always the hardest,” he said. “I’ve been runner up three times and close on a number of other occasions so people do start to talk about it. It’s nice to get that monkey off your back.
“My last victory was in 2003 and you do wonder if you will win again. To do it against players I competed again on The European Tour – Barry Lane, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle, Sam Torrance – was extra special.
“I always felt like I was capable of winning but someone would always play better than me on the last day or have a crucial putt so it’s great to finally do it.”
The 51-year-old started the final day in Brunei five strokes behind overnight leader Jamnian Chitprasong but a magnificent 310yd rescue approach shot to four feet for an eagle on the second hole launched his fightback.
Williams had a setback on the fourth hole when he missed a short par putt but he did not let that derail his challenge.
Birdies on the sixth and ninth holes meant he reached the turn in 35 and his title credentials were significantly boosted by four straight birdies from the 12th hole.
With victory in his sights, Williams almost came unstuck on the 17th when he had to chip out sideways from deep rough after his drive kicked left off the fairway and he then missed a 10ft par putt.
However a fearless drive to the middle of the fairway to set up a birdie on the 18th to seal a sweet first win, as Williams finished on 12 under par 201, one stroke clear of Korean Sang-ho Choi with Australian Mike Harwood a further two strokes back on ten under par.
“I used a lot of visualisation today, seeing the putts going in,” he said. “When I missed the short one on the fourth I went back in my mind and holed it. Whereas in other tournaments people have played better than me to win, I just played better today.
“I thought I was going to have to shoot low today and I’m delighted to have done it.”
Williams has now set his sights on going one better in the Order of Merit and succeeding Ruangkit for a second time, having captured the Thai’s Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum title. The victory and €34,690 first prize moves him up to third place on the Order of Merit behind Sandy Lyle and Peter Senior.
“Winning a tournament was definitely my target at the start of the season but the Order of Merit was too,” said Williams. “Barry Lane is going to be a strong challenger and I think he’ll win a few this season and Sandy is going to play more so it will be tough. You can’t take your foot of the pedal at all so it was good to get a win under my belt.”
Choi closed with a 67 to finish runner up ahead of 2009 Rookie of the Year Harwood, who posted a 69. Chitprasong failed to continue the momentum he built up over the first two rounds and a closing hole double bogey six condemned his faltering challenge as he carded a 73 to finish fourth, four strokes behind Williams.
Defending champion Ruangkit was tied 11th after a final round 69, while Lyle finished in a share of 18th place on three under par after signing for the same score.


FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71)
201 C Williams S Africa) 68 69 64

202 S Choi (S Korea) 67 68 67

204 M Harwood (Australia) 67 68 69

205 J Chitprasong (Thailand) 67 65 73

206 K Tomori (Japan) 71 69 66, M Kuramoto (Jpn) 71 69 66, C Chung (Tpe) 68 73 65

207 P Fowler (Aus) 66 71 70, B Longmuir (Sco) 66 72 69, D Merriman (Aus) 71 67 69

208 B Lincoln (RSA) 70 70 68, C Mason (Eng) 69 70 69, T Chen (Tpe) 67 69 72, B Ruangkit (Tha) 70 69 69

209 F Mann (Sco) 68 70 71, G Ryall (Eng) 71 71 67, A Franco (Par) 67 70 72

210 S Torrance (Sco) 69 70 71, B Cameron (Eng) 71 68 71, M Clayton (Aus) 72 68 70, K Spurgeon (Eng) 75 69 66, M Moreno (Esp) 72 68 70, B Lane (Eng) 68 67 75, D Russell (Eng) 69 72 69, S Lyle (Sco) 72 69 69

211 L Carbonetti (Arg) 75 71 65, G Manson (Aut) 68 72 71, J Rivero (Esp) 72 71 68

212 A Sowa (Arg) 72 69 71

213 M Cunning (USA) 74 70 69, J Quiros (Esp) 72 69 72, D O'Sullivan (Irl) 69 73 71, G Brand (Eng) 75 71 67

 214 H Carbonetti (Arg) 75 67 72, T Price (Aus) 72 72 70, J Chillas (Sco) 68 71 75, G Ralph (Eng) 75 71 68,

 215 B Hardwick (Can) 74 69 72, W Grady (Aus) 75 70 70, I Woosnam (Wal) 71 74 70, S Owen (Nzl) 73 70 72,

 216 D Cambridge (Jam) 71 72 73, G Banister (Aus) 72 71 73,

 217 S Van Vuuren (RSA) 74 72 71, J Heggarty (Nir) 70 76 71, M Piñero (Esp) 75 73 69, R Davis (Aus) 70 73 74, M Farry (Fra) 70 76 71, F Illouz (Fra) 75 72 70,

 218 S Bennett (Eng) 72 72 74, N Job (Eng) 72 72 74,

 219 D Hospital (Esp) 74 76 69, P Dahlberg (Swe) 75 73 71, G Cali (Ita) 76 73 70,

 220 M Belsham (Eng) 80 64 76,

 221 M Ramayah (Mas) 73 76 72, M Miller (Sco) 79 69 73,

 222 T Johnstone (Zim) 76 77 69, B Smit (RSA) 71 76 75, T Charnley (Eng) 74 76 72,

 223 D Durnian (Eng) 76 78 69, J Bruner (USA) 71 78 74,

 224 N Ratcliffe (Aus) 72 77 75,

 226 L Stephen (Aus) 79 71 76,

 228 A Garrido (Esp) 78 76 74,

 229 T Gale (Aus) 73 75 81,

 233 J Stuart (USA) 72 81 80,

 234 S Cipa (Eng) 76 78 80,

 242 T Burgoyne (Sco) 81 79 82,

 244 R Metherell (Aus) 85 79 80,

Withdrew: G Wolstenholme (England) 70 wd.

MACLEMAN AND STABLES JOINT ALLIANCE WINNERS AT ELGIN

By ALAN COWIE 
North Scottish Golfers' Alliance secretary
A four-over-par 8 at Elgin ’s 11^th hole in the end cost Malcolm Macleman from Moray an outright victory in Saturday’s North Scottish Golfers’ Alliance fixture. Birdies at the 5^th, 9^th, 12^th, 13^th, and 17^th and bogeys at the 1^st, and 7^th added up to a one over par 70 and a tie with host club professional Kevin Stables. The latter bogeyed the 1^st, 7^th, 8^th, 10^th and 15^th and birdied the 5^th, 11^th, 13^th and 17^th to register the tie.

The aggregate trophies were also decided in this fixture.

The scratch section was won by John Campbell from Grantown with an aggregate of 412 from his best six scores over the winter.

Handicap Class 1 was won by regular partner Gordon hay from the same club with an aggregate of 411 off one.

Handicap Class 2 winner was again Colin Small of Nairn with a total of 416, his seventh score being better than that of Louis Macbean of Boat of Garten.

LEADING SCORES

 Par 69

SCRATCH

70 K Stables (Elgin) p, M L Macleman (Moray).

71 J L Milne (Elgin), N McWilliam (Elgin).

72 J S D Campbell (Grantown), K Thomson (Moray), R McKerron (Forres), A J England (Moray).

73 R H Stewart (Torvean), D Stewart (Grantown) p, B Cruickshank (Garmouth and Kingston ), J A Grant (Grantown).

74 A W Mair (Moray), G Hay (Grantown).

75 B A Watson (Nairn Dunbar), S H C Milne ( Elgin ), D Thom (Grantown), R Harrower (Boat of Garten) p, F Hutchison ( Inverness ).

76 R Proctor (Forres), S G Milne (Elgin), S Wilson (Inverness), J Simpson (Forres), B Fotheringham (Inverness), A Henry (Inverness), J A G Innes (Elgin), G S Macdonald (Torvean), A Thomson (Moray) p.

77 J Wright (Forres), G J Abel ( Elgin ), D Hexley ( Inverness ), P Masson (Rothes).

78 F Brown (Nairn Dunbar), J C Milne (Moray), K Williamson (Torvean).

79 S Mitchell (Moray), I Macaulay (Elgin), L Macbean (Boat of Garten), S Rooney (Boat of Garten), M Windsor (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), R Mackay (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), L Duncan (Elgin), S Johnston (Elgin), J R Souter (Moray), K Barnett (Torvean).

80 R Laing (Grantown), D Johnston (Moray), R R Adams (Moray).

 HANDICAP

Class 1 (seven and under)

67 A J England (Moray) (5).

70 R H Stewart (Torvean) (3), A Henry (Inverness) (6), G J Abel ( Elgin) (7).

71 J A Grant (Grantown) (2), R McKerron (Forres) (1).

Class 2 (eight to 14)

66 F Hutchison ( Inverness) (9).

67 D Thom (Grantown) (8).

68 J Macdonald (Inverness) (14), M Windsor (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (11).

69 R Barrett (Grantown) (14).

AGGREGATE FINAL TOTALS

SCRATCH (K M Cameron Trophy)

412 J S D Campbell (Grantown)  69, 68, 71, 71, 63, 70.

421 B Fotheringham (Inverness)  66, 69, 69, 73, 73, 71;  A Cameron ( Inverness) 71, 67, 74, 69, 68, 72.

HANDICAP CLASS 1 (Burnett Trophy)

411 G H Hay (Grantown)  68, 69, 70, 65, 69, 70.

412 S Wilson ( Inverness) 69, 70, 68, 65, 71, 69,

417 R Mackay (Fortrose and Rosemarkie)  68, 68, 73, 70, 70, 68.

HANDICAP CLASS 2 (Bill McQueen Trophy)

416 C Small (Nairn) 70, 66, 71, 71, 67, 71 (Tie-breaker: better seventh score).

416 L Macbean (Boat of Garten) 70, 72, 66, 66, 71, 71.

420 F Hutchison (Inverness) 71, 71, 71, 75, 66, 66;  A Cowie (Moray)  66, 69, 75, 68, 70, 72.

RORY SABBATINI LEADS HONDA CLASSIC BY FIVE STROKES

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida (AP) — After making consecutive birdies, Honda Classic leader Rory Sabbatini stood in the rough along the sixth fairway, complaining to a US PGA Tour official about a delay in play and wondering what had become of the group just ahead of him.
The strange interruption could have halted Sabbatini's momentum. Instead, after a long wait he hit an iron 200 yards to 10 feet of the pin, one of his better shots among the 66 on Saturday that gave him a cushy lead.
Sabbatini will enter the final round at 9-under 201, five shots ahead of Jerry Kelly and 2009 winner Y.E. Yang.
The wait at No. 6 occurred when Kelly, playing two groups ahead of Sabbatini, lodged a shot in a palm tree. A newspaper photographer's zoom lens was used to identify the ball as Kelly's, allowing him to avoid being penalised for a lost ball.
The inspection took time, so the twosome behind Kelly played through. Meanwhile, Sabbatini and playing partner Kyle Stanley waited and wondered how they had caught up with Kelly.
"It was a little bit of dazed and confused," Sabbatini said. "We're like, 'OK, where did he come from?' And we're trying to figure out what's going on."
A South African who lives in Fort Worth, Texas, Sabbatini's known for his feisty manner and candour on any topic - even Tiger Woods. But nothing has riled him up this week, and he tried to look at the delay as something positive.
"Actually, I think maybe that might have helped me slow down a little out there," he said. "It allowed me to back off a little bit and kind of refocus again. So I think that was a good thing."
Yang birdied the last two holes for a 3-under 67 and moved into a tie for second with Kelly, who shot a roller-coaster 68. Gary Woodland also had a 68 and was fourth, six shots behind. Second-round leader Stanley had a 74 to drop seven strokes back.
Sabbatini, who changed putters this week, made birdie putts of 2, 40, 12, 18 and 18 feet.
"I've been putting well all year; I just didn't feel like I was making anything," he said. "Sometimes just changing the look of things, changing the feel of things, can kind of just spur something."
With his new mallet-style putter, Sabbatini had the lowest round for the second day in a row after tying the tournament course record with a 64 Friday.
Sabbatini has won five times on the US Tour, most recently at the 2009 Byron Nelson Championship. But he's perhaps best known for once calling Woods "more beatable than ever," long before the sex scandal that sent Woods' career off track.
Sabbatini said he dislikes being cast as a villain, which may be why he switched from Friday's wide-brimmed black hat to a white one. He said he hadn't decided what color to wear Sunday, but regardless, he'll be wearing a target as the leader.
Given the tough course and conditions at PGA National, Kelly doesn't consider his five-shot deficit insurmountable.
"It's catchable in three holes," he said. "You never know what three holes they may be. You've just got to play solid, get some birdies, and you never know."
Sabbatini's take on being the front-runner: "You'd better be able to run faster if you're being chased."
Windy conditions have made pars precious all week, and weather will likely be a factor again Sunday. With thunderstorms in the forecast for the afternoon, tee times for the final round were moved up.
Sabbatini, Kelly and Yang will tee off last. Kelly, a Wisconsin native and a former hockey player who can get feisty himself, played with Sabbatini just last week at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.
"We always have a good time together," Kelly said. "Him talking it up doesn't bother me, because I tend to do the same thing."
Lee Westwood, who fell to No. 2 in the rankings this week behind Martin Kaymer, was tied for 30th at 4 over after a 75. Westwood must finish alone in third place or better to regain the top ranking next week.
SCROLL DOWN FOR A REPORT ON THE ROUNDS BY LEE WESTWOOD
 AND RORY McILROY + A LOOK AT ALL THE SCORES



Read more: http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,2057425,00.html#ixzz1FnrBLmEp