KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (AP) - Chris Stroud and Ryan Moore overcame mistakes and bogeys on the back nine Saturday for a share of the lead after the third round of the CIMB Classic.
Stroud started the day five strokes back but surged into contention after five birdies on the front nine _ including four in a row _ before hitting into the water on the 12th hole and carding two bogeys for a 4-under 68. Moore (69) opened up a three-shot lead on the back nine only to bogey four of five holes to give it right back. Both were on 12-under 204, one stroke ahead of their nearest rivals.
Gary Woodland (67) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (69) were a stroke back.
The tricky conditions led to huge momentum swings throughout the day at the PGA Tour event, with plenty of balls in the water and in the rough beneath the palm trees lining the course at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. Second-round leader Keegan Bradley had a 76 to fall into a tie for sixth at 9 under.
Phil Mickelson was 7 under after a 68.
The tournament is an official PGA Tour event for the first time. The winner will receive a two-year PGA Tour exemption and a spot in the Masters.
BMW MASTERS
SHANGHAI (AP) _ American Luke Guthrie stumbled at the end of the third round and wound up tied for the lead with Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello in the BMW Masters.
Guthrie has led the European Tour event since his 65 in the opening round, and he had a three-shot lead at one point on the back nine at Lake Malaren. But his tee shot caught the bunker on the 16th, leading to a bogey. And he was in such an awkward spot on the 18th green that Guthrie felt his best option was to chip off the putting surface. He missed an 8-foot putt to take another bogey for an even-par 72.
Cabrera-Bello was far more efficient, keeping bogeys off his card in a round of 67. His final birdie on the par-3 17th turned out to be good enough for a share of the lead.
They were at 8-under 208, one shot ahead of Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (67).
LPGA TAIWAN CHAMPIONSHIP
YANGMEI, Taiwan (AP) _ Defending champion Suzann Pettersen struggled with three early bogeys but recovered for a 1-over 73 to maintain a four-shot lead in the LPGA Taiwan Championship.
The Norwegian dropped three shots over the first five holes but had three birdies and just one more bogey the rest of the way to finish three rounds at 6-under 210. Azahara Munoz (69), Sun Young Yoo (72) and Carlota Ciganda (72) were tied for second at Sunrise Golf and Country Club.
The second-ranked Pettersen has three LPGA Tour victories this year, winning in Portland, Ore., and France in consecutive starts last month. She also won a Ladies European Tour event this year in China.
Taiwanese star Yani Tseng, the 2011 winner, was 10 over after a 72. Winless in 41 LPGA Tour since the 2012 Kia Classic, she has tumbled from first to 25th in the world ranking in seven months.
AT&T CHAMPIONSHIP
SAN ANTONIO (AP) _ Kenny Perry bogeyed the final hole to drop into a five-way tie for the lead in the Champions Tour’s AT&T Championship.
The Charles Schwab Cup points leader followed his opening 65 with a 71 to match Mike Goodes, Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie and Anders Forsbrand at 8 under.
Goodes had the round of the day, shooting a 63 on TPC San Antonio’s AT&T Canyons Course to jump 43 spots on the leaderboard. Montgomerie had a 68, and Langer and Forsbrand shot 69.
The top 30 on the money list Sunday will advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship next week at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. Perry entered the regular-season finale 494 points ahead of second-place Langer in the race for a $1 million annuity.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.