HONDA CLASSIC REPORT AND SCOREBOARD

KNOX LYING THIRD, THREE BEHIND

LEADER McILROY WITH 18 holes TO GO

For the second day in a row, Florida-based Scot Russell Knox has outscored Honda Classic leader Rory McIlroy.

The Ulsterman leads by two strokes after the third round with a 54-hole tally of 12-under-par 198 over the par 70 course at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Lying second on 200 is American  Russell Henley with 64-68-68 for 200.
Then comes the Pride of Scotland, Inverness-born Knox (pictured above) with scores of 70, 63 and 68 for 201 - three shots off the pace with 18 holes to play on Sunday.

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THE REPORT ON THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 210 (3x70) Players from USA unless stated
198 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 63 66 69
200 Russell Henley 64 68 68
201 Russell Knox (Scoland) 70 63 68
202 Jhonattan Vegas (Venezuela) 70 66 66
203 Stuart Appleby (Australia) 69 69 65, Keegan Bradley 69 68 66, Luke Donald (England) 67 68 68, Ryan Palmer 68 66 69.
204 Matt Every 66 73 65, Cameron Tringale 69 69 66, Nicholas Thompson 68 70 66, Ted Potter junior 71 66 67, Billy Hurley 70 67 67, Rory Sabbatini (S Africa) 65 71 6, Will MacKenzie 67 68 69, Daniel Summerhays 70 65 69.
205 Tiger Woods 71 69 65, Luke Guthrie 67 73 65, Brian Stuart 72 68 65, Freddie Jacobson (Sweden) 69 69 67, Zach Johnson 67 70 68, David Lingmerth (Sweden) 69 68 68, Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 69 66 70 (T17).

SELECTED OTHER SCORES
206 Brendon de Jonge (S Africa) 66 64 76, Lee Westwood (England) 68 65 73, Jamie Donaldson (Wales) 65 69 72 (T25)
207 Adam Scott (Australia) 68 69 70 (T25)
208 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 72 68 68, Gonzalo Fernandez Castano (Spain) 71 69 68 (T42)
209 Paul Casey (England) 72 68 69, Matteo Manassero (Italy) 67 71 71, Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) 70 67 72 (T55)

MISSED SATURDAY SECONDARY CUT
(211 and better qualified for final round)
212 William McGirt 65 69 78 (T71).

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INCLUDING NON-QUALIFIERS FOR
THE LAST TWO ROUNDS

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REPORT FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

• 
• March 02, 2014
  By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

Since blowing a 54-hole lead at the 2011 Masters, Rory McIlroy has turned his last three 54-hole leads on the US PGA TOUR into victories. (Franklin/Getty Images)

• PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida -- Two years ago, Rory McIlroy won The Honda Classic to reach No. 1 in the world.
  Sunday, he’ll have a chance to win again, this time to end an 18-month winless drought on the US PGA Tour following the worst season of his young career.
  McIlroy shot a 1-under 69 Saturday at PGA National to take a two-shot lead over Russell Henley.
  Russell Knox is another stroke back at 9 under, while Jhonattan Vegas is alone in fourth at 8 under. Four others, including Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald, are tied for fifth at 7 under.
  Since the 2011 Masters, McIlroy has turned all three of his previous 54-hole leads into wins.
  “Definitely not a coincidence,” he said. “I learned a lot that day. I learned how not to protect a 54-hole lead. I went out there being very protective, very cautious.
  “I learned a lot from it and that's the reason that every 54-hole lead that I've had since I've been able to close the deal. Hopefully I can keep that run going tomorrow.”
  He has also learned plenty since his last trip here.
  A year and a day removed from walking off PGA National in the middle of his second round in frustration and later citing mental fatigue, McIlroy this time showed patience and poise on a breezy and difficult afternoon.
  This was never more evident than on the par-3 seventh, where he badly pulled his tee shot long and left and was forced to take a drop. He managed to make only a bogey, though, after canning a 10-footer for a 4. He called it one of the best up-and-downs he has ever had.
  He made two other bogeys, missing a 10-footer to save par on No. 6 and another from 5 feet on the 14th, but he offset them with four birdies.
  Henley, meanwhile, didn’t need his putter on 14. He holed out for eagle from 150 yards.

  Sandwiched around it were birdies on No. 12 and another on 17, where he rolled in a 50-footer from just off the green.
  Henley has just two top 10s in 32 starts on TOUR since winning the Sony Open in Hawaii last year but is looking forward to Sunday’s opportunity.
  “I'm trying not to pay attention to what Rory is doing," Henley said. "He's playing great and he's been in this situation a little bit more than me. But I still have a lot of confidence."
  THE STOCKTON EFFECT
  McIlroy isn’t the only one who has benefited from some recent sessions with putting guru Dave Stockton.
  Jhonattan Vegas began working with Stockton last October and December, then again in Phoenix and L.A. this year. He had Vegas change the type of grip on his putter and got him to roll the ball rather than hit at it.
  “Small stuff,” Stockton said.
  Big result.
  Vegas took just 24 putts Saturday -- including 12 one-putts -- on his way to seven birdies and a 66 to get to 8 under and within four shots of the lead.
  Last week in Arizona, Stockton helped McIlroy’s right hand from getting too underneath on his grip, which was making the putter go up as soon as he hit it.
  “(The change) lets the putter go down the line easier and (it) can stay lower to the ground,” McIlroy said.
  Through three rounds, McIlroy has taken just 78 putts -- tied for second-fewest in the field.
  TIGER HAS BEST DAY OF YEAR
  Tiger Woods is seven shots off the lead going into the final round but his 65 Saturday was if nothing else a step in the right direction.
  It was his lowest score on the US PGA Tour in seven months, and his ball-striking and putting were much improved from his first two days at PGA National.
  "I didn't hit the ball very well (Friday); just kind of grinded it out," Woods said. "Today I struck the ball well and made some putts."
  Despite finding fewer than half his fairways, he hit 11 greens in regulation and took only 23 putts, his fewest of the week by two.
  "I just felt like I had good feel today," Woods said.
  His seven birdies were also the most he has had in a round all year.
  Two years ago here, Woods entered the final round nine shots off the lead before charging into contention with a 62. He would eventually finish two back of McIlroy.
  To read more about Woods’ round, or share your reaction, click here.
  SECONDARY CUT
  With more than 78 players making the cut at PGA National, a secondary cut was made to the low 70 and ties on Saturday.
  Perhaps the most surprising name on the wrong side of that number was William McGirt.
  He started the day in a tie for sixth just five shots back. After a 78 that included five bogeys and a quadruple bogey, he was headed home.
  McGirt needed to birdie the par-5 18th to stick around for Sunday but hit his second shot into a bunker and missed the green left on his third before getting up and down for par.
  He wasn’t the only player whose week was surprisingly cut short.
  Brice Garnett and Jamie Lovemark were both tied for 23rd after playing their first two days in 3 under. They both shot 76 on Saturday.