DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Sony Open leader Aaron Baddeley blasted out of the rough on 15, hitting it near the hole and making par. The 21-year-old Australian has a two-stroke lead over Mercedes Championship winner Ernie Els going into the final round.
Baddeley pulls away Aaron Baddeley and Ernie Els don't let anxiety enter the equation.
for Sony Open lead
The Australian has a two-stroke lead
Els hangs in, takes aim on Baddeley
over Els going into the final round
Gamez trying to bring back magic of '90
Young Baddeley needs 1 more big day
Opening hole foils Gossen's shot at win
By Paul Arnett
parnett@starbulletin.comWhile many golfers with a lead might find sleep prior to the final round of a PGA Tour event as difficult as birdieing the first hole at the Waialae Country Club, the top two players of the $4.5 million Sony Open in Hawaii didn't need any Excedrin PMs last night.
Baddeley fired a 5-under 65 yesterday, putting him at 15-under 195, with a two-shot lead over Els, who managed a solid 66 to hold second all by his lonesome. Americans Chris DiMarco, Robert Gamez and Briny Baird are another three shots behind Els in a tie for third, but don't figure to challenge today unless both leaders stumble.
The 21-year-old Baddeley already has won two Australian Opens and said yesterday after his round that he would sleep well enough. He planned to have some sushi, kick back, relax, read some e-mails and come out swinging this afternoon from the opening hole.
Els said for him it was more difficult to sleep with a lead than a two-shot disadvantage. Last week at the Mercedes Championships, the South African felt the pressure of leading the first three rounds and the possibility of letting it all slip away on Sunday.
That didn't happen, as Els fashioned a respectable 67 to not only capture the winners-only tournament on Maui by seven shots, but to set a PGA Tour record in relation to par at 31-under, as well.
"Obviously, it's good to have the lead, but it's tough to sleep on it," Els said. "There was a lot more pressure on me a week ago than there is right now. I'm only two back, after at one point being five behind Aaron.
"Playing in the final group helps. Aaron played really well and is hungry to get his first win out here. I've followed his career. He has a lot of talent and is obviously a star of the future. He is not scared. If playing well, he can beat any field. This is the big leagues, but he is a big-league player."
Baddeley showed that from the outset. While fellow second-round leader Retief Goosen tripled the first hole, effectively removing himself from contention, Baddeley parred the most difficult hole on the course en route to a 6-under 30 on the more difficult nine.
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Sony Open leader Aaron Baddeley barely missed this birdie putt on 14. He parred the hole to stay at 15-under.
The Aussie, who was born in New Hampshire but moved Down Under at age 2, shot even on the back nine, where Els fired a 4-under 31 to get into contention. Even so, Baddeley made several big saves to keep the Big Easy two shots off the pace.
"I would rather be two shots ahead entering the final round than be two shots behind," Baddeley said. "Always. I'll come out going straight at the pins. That's how I play. I won't change my game just because I'm ahead."
Els won't either. He said the most important part of the formula will be the weather and whether the winds remain Kona-bound or switch to trades, as some experts predict.
"I'll just try to come out and get in position to make a move when the opportunity comes," Els said. "If the situation comes where I'm still down with four holes to play, I may change my approach and go at it to try to make something happen.
"I'm going to try to win the tournament. I'm going to play the course. It's not a two-man tournament like last week at the Mercedes. Tomorrow there will be more guys chasing with anyone within six shots still in it."
That means Shigeki Maruyama at 9-under and sitting alone in sixth still has a chance. The popular Japanese star went as low as 10-under, but a ho-hum 36 over the final nine holes left him on the outside looking in.
Gamez, DiMarco and Baird are also in the big picture. Gamez said someone would have to post something like a 62 to get the leaders' attention. Otherwise, it's likely a two-man chase.
"I still feel like I have a good chance," said Gamez, whose 65 was matched only by Baddeley and Robert Allenby. "There are so many guys with good scores, anybody could come from the pack to put some pressure on the leaders. Hopefully, it will be me."
DiMarco also has a good chance. He won the Phoenix Open last year and has the kind of game that could send him low enough to distract the leaders. He shot a pedestrian 69 yesterday, never going any lower than 10-under for the tournament.
"You have to get off to a good start to get into contention," DiMarco said. "It seems like somebody always gets a good round early to put themselves into position. But it will be tough to do it if the wind kicks up."
At Waialae Country Club Sony Open
Yardage: 7,060; Par 70
Third Round
A.Baddeley 66-64-65 -- 195 E.Els 66-65-66 -- 197 R.Gamez 66-69-65 -- 200 B.Baird 68-65-67 -- 200 C.DiMarco 65-66-69 -- 200 S.Maruyama 66-66-69 -- 201 R.Allenby 68-69-65 -- 202 R.Goosen 64-66-72 -- 202 Nine tied at 203
Sony Open
