RUSSELL KNOX GOES FROM 59 TO BOGEY-FREE 68 ON WEB.COM TOUR

FROM THE US WEB.COM TOUR WEBSITE

In the third round of the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft, Philip Pettitt Jr. holds a one-stroke lead at 18-under.
BOISE, Idaho -- Scoring took another beating at the 24th Albertsons Boise Open.This time it came from the players in the back of the pack, not the leaders. At the end of the day, Tennessee’s Philip Pettitt Jr. stood at the top of a crowded leaderboard that has 20 players within four shots of the lead.

Full leaderboard
Round 4 tee Times
Saturday highlights 
Scorecard: Pettitt 
Scorecard: Knox

Saturday’s scoring average of 68.067 broke the tournament record of 68.129, which was established in Friday’s second round.
Pettitt fired a career-low 63 and moved to 18-under 195, one stroke better than 36-hole leader Russell Knox, who followed up a record-setting 59 on Friday with a bogey-free, 3-under 68 Saturday at Hillcrest Country Club.
“I played good, especially coming out the box with a birdie at one and then two more at two and three,” Pettitt said. “I putted great. I missed one at 17 but that was the only opportunity that I missed.”
Texan Michael Connell started the early battering of the par-71 layout with a 10-under 61 that put him at 16-under. Connell birdied three of his final four holes Friday just to make the 36-hole cut on the number. He was in the third group off the tee Saturday and took advantage of the perfect scoring conditions to vault to the top. He remained there for most of the day but was eventually joined by several others.
Will Wilcox, who shot a 59 two weeks ago, posted a 9-under 62 -- which included an ace -- to join Connell in a tie for third. Kevin Tway (63), Will MacKenzie (65), Chad Collins (67) and Bronson La’Cassie (68) are also just two shots back heading into Sunday’s finale.
“Everyone is bunched up now and tomorrow is going to be a shootout,” said Inverness-born Knox, who rolled in short birdie putts at Nos. 16 and 17 to gain a spot in the final pairing. “I’m in perfect position. They’re all going to find it difficult tomorrow to back up their good rounds.”
Pettitt, a second-year Web.com Tour member, has the edge despite the fact that he’s never been the outright leader after any single round in his previous 48 career starts on tour.
“I won three times in 2011 and it’s a different stage. I get that but winning’s winning,” said Pettitt, whose career-best tour finish is a tie for third. “I’ve done it before. I’ve got to remember that feeling that I had there.”
Pettitt had missed the cut in five of his last six starts and wouldn’t have been among the betting favourites this week.
“Numbers don’t lie but sometimes they take a while to kick in,” he said. “I’ve played significantly better the last few weeks. I knew it was a matter of time but there are only five weeks left (in the regular season) so I knew I needed to make a move somewhere along the line and I was hoping it was sooner rather than later.”
Knox played solid, patient golf after the hoopla that surrounded his day Friday – which included an evening interview on ESPN’s SportsCenter. He birdied his second hole of the day and then settled for 13 consecutive pars before a late run.
“I knew it was going to be a challenge, how can it not be? I had to regroup,” he said. “I was still close to the lead. I had a bunch of 10, 15 and 20-footers for birdie that went in yesterday but not today. I was expecting it, just like I expect them to go in tomorrow.”
Third-Round Notes:
• Weather -- Cloudy in the morning and then sunny. Overnight low of 68. Daytime high of 95. Winds increasing through the day to NW 10-20 mph.
• Will Wilcox continued his excellent play Saturday and added an ace to his recent resume. Wilcox, who shot a 59 two weeks ago at the Utah Championship, made a hole-in-one at the par-3, eighth hole. He hit a 7-iron on the 202-yard hole. It was the first ace this week
THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 213 (3x71)
players from USA unless stated
195 Philip Pettit jun 65 67 63
196 Russell Knox (Scotland) 69 59 68
197 Michael Connell 68 68 61, Will Wilcoz 66 69 62, Kevin Tway 65 69 63, Will MacKenzie 69 63 65, Chad Collins 65 65 67, Bronson La Cassie 66 63 68

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