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Palmer, Allenby wear targets


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POSTED: Sunday, January 17, 2010

Robert Allenby and Ryan Palmer created a little separation from the rest of the field entering today's final round of the $5.5 million Sony Open in Hawaii, but not enough to turn this into a match-play event.

Palmer shot a third-round 68 and Allenby countered with a gutty 67 to tie for the lead at 11-under 199, three shots clear of Troy Matteson (68), Davis Love III (68), Steve Stricker (69) and defending champion Zach Johnson (70), who are all in at 8-under 202 in the first full-field event on the PGA Tour.

In case anyone forgot, Allenby gently reminded those in the media room last night that Rory Sabbatini came from deep in the pack to shoot a 10-under 63 at last week's SBS Championship to almost steal the first event of the year from Australian Geoff Ogilvy.

               

     

 

LEADERBOARD

        Through the third round at Waialae Country Club, par 70:
       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
PlayerScoreTo par
Ryan Palmer65-66-68—199-11
Robert Allenby65-67-67—199-11
Troy Matteson67-67-68—202-8
Davis Love III65-69-68—202-8
Steve Stricker66-67-69—202-8
Zach Johnson65-67-70—202-8
How locals fared
Dean Wilson71-67-69—207-3
Kevin Hayashi74-67-75—216+6

       

       

 

       

       

And while no one has shot a 60 around here since the day Love turned that trick in 1994 back when Waialae was a par 72, Allenby believes it's out there somewhere, just waiting for someone to find it and keep him from breaking a winless drought on tour that dates back 211 events to the 2001 Pennsylvania Classic.

“;Yes, sure, definitely,”; Allenby said when asked if it bothered him that he hadn't won on tour in eight-plus years, “;I know how good I can play and how good a lot of other people think I am. It just hasn't happened in recent years (out here) for me.

“;It's all because of my putting. I just haven't putted well. I'm not consistent. I think I've addressed that situation and I'm moving in the right direction. I may not win (today). But I believe that I will definitely win this year, and when I do, I will win again and again. That's just my nature.”;

And it's not like the Palmer who will be his playing partner for a second consecutive day is named Arnie. Ryan Palmer has two victories on tour, the last occurring in 2008. He plans to get up this morning early and tailgate in his room as the Dallas Cowboys prepare for a playoff game with the Minnesota Vikings at 8 a.m.

After that, the Cowboys season-ticket holder will turn his attention to winning a golf tournament by keeping the same philosophy he's had since day one of this event—he begins every round even par once more.

“;I'm going with it,”; Palmer said. “;It's worked so far. But it will probably be a little bit different, obviously being the last round, 18 holes of golf to go. But that's all I'm out there to play is 18 holes of golf. I'm not going to lie, I'm going to be a little anxious, probably a little nervous, a little nerves running considering the position.”;

There's also a foursome right on their spikes that might have something to say about who gets to hoist the trophy this afternoon. Johnson has won here before, Love has been oh so close himself and Stricker is currently the third-best golfer on the planet. Add Matteson, who won in a playoff last fall, to the mix and anything can happen today.

“;You know, I got a chance,”; Stricker said. “;That's all you can ask for going into the last day. Like I said, there aren't a ton of guys between the leader and where I'm at.”;

Johnson echoed that sentiment. Had he not carded a triple bogey on Friday, he'd be tied for the lead himself. But he did, overcame it and now feels like a low number is a distinct possibility if he gets off to a good start.

“;I'm going to have to make a charge at some point,”; Johnson said. “;This place is fairway and greens. You just get a little bit overanxious and get a little ahead of yourself, and you are making bogey. There are birdies out there. The greens are pure enough, and you are rolling it well enough, you can make the putt. I've got some work to do.”;

For Matteson, it all depends on the wind. His group didn't manage a birdie until the ninth hole. And it didn't get any easier after that.

“;I really expected some low scores today,”; Matteson said. “;But obviously, the wind picked up and that took care of that.”;

 

Sony Open scores

At Waialae Country Club

Purse: $5.5 million

Third Round

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Ryan Palmer65-66-68199
Robert Allenby65-67-67199
Troy Matteson67-67-68202
Davis Love III65-69-68202
Steve Stricker66-67-69202
Zach Johnson65-67-70202
Nathan Green71-67-65203
Carl Pettersson66-70-67203
Rory Sabbatini68-68-67203
Michael Allen67-68-68203
Tom Lehman66-69-68203
Briny Baird69-71-64204
Chad Collins69-68-67204
Graham DeLaet69-67-68204
Paul Goydos72-63-69204
Charles Howell III73-66-66205
WC Liang68-68-69205
Pat Perez66-70-69205
Jeff Quinney66-67-72205
Shane Bertsch66-68-71205
John Merrick65-68-72205
Chad Campbell68-64-73205
John Rollins70-69-67206
Dustin Johnson70-69-67206
Ernie Els69-70-67206
Jeff Klauk70-68-68206
Omar Uresti70-68-68206
Tim Clark71-67-68206
Troy Merritt65-71-70206
Ricky Barnes67-69-70206
Retief Goosen69-67-70206
Mark Wilson68-67-71206
Nick O'Hern71-69-67207
Joe Ogilvie69-71-67207
Boo Weekley71-68-68207
Henrik Bjornstad71-68-68207
Bob Estes68-70-69207
Dean Wilson71-67-69207
Brian Gay68-69-70207
Blake Adams69-67-71207
Stephen Ames68-67-72207
Roger Tambellini66-69-72207
Angel Cabrera66-68-73207
Richard S. Johnson71-70-67208
K.J. Choi71-70-67208
Spencer Levin69-71-68208
Bubba Watson69-70-69208
Y.E. Yang70-69-69208
Mark Calcavecchia71-68-69208
Marc Leishman69-69-70208
Justin Rose72-65-71208
Kevin Na73-68-68209
Vijay Singh69-72-68209
Martin Flores66-74-69209
Ryuichi Oda68-72-69209
Jason Day73-67-69209
Woody Austin70-69-70209
Tom Gillis71-68-70209
Brian Stuard66-73-70209
Kevin Johnson68-71-70209
Brian Davis70-69-70209
David Toms70-69-70209
Corey Pavin71-67-71209
Chris Tidland69-68-72209
Jim Carter71-70-69210
Jason Dufner69-72-69210
Rich Barcelo70-71-69210
David Lutterus73-67-70210
Stewart Cink68-72-70210
Ryuji Imada68-72-70210
Jeff Maggert73-66-71210
Alex Prugh74-67-70211
Aaron Goldberg70-71-70211
Jonathan Byrd75-64-72211
Sean O'Hair68-69-74211
Jerod Turner71-69-72212
Fredrik Jacobson70-71-72213
Ben Curtis70-69-74213
Webb Simpson71-68-74213
Kevin Hayashi74-67-75216