Palmer, Allenby wear targets
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:
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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 Palmer | 65-66-68 | — | 199 |
| Robert Allenby | 65-67-67 | — | 199 |
| Troy Matteson | 67-67-68 | — | 202 |
| Davis Love III | 65-69-68 | — | 202 |
| Steve Stricker | 66-67-69 | — | 202 |
| Zach Johnson | 65-67-70 | — | 202 |
| Nathan Green | 71-67-65 | — | 203 |
| Carl Pettersson | 66-70-67 | — | 203 |
| Rory Sabbatini | 68-68-67 | — | 203 |
| Michael Allen | 67-68-68 | — | 203 |
| Tom Lehman | 66-69-68 | — | 203 |
| Briny Baird | 69-71-64 | — | 204 |
| Chad Collins | 69-68-67 | — | 204 |
| Graham DeLaet | 69-67-68 | — | 204 |
| Paul Goydos | 72-63-69 | — | 204 |
| Charles Howell III | 73-66-66 | — | 205 |
| WC Liang | 68-68-69 | — | 205 |
| Pat Perez | 66-70-69 | — | 205 |
| Jeff Quinney | 66-67-72 | — | 205 |
| Shane Bertsch | 66-68-71 | — | 205 |
| John Merrick | 65-68-72 | — | 205 |
| Chad Campbell | 68-64-73 | — | 205 |
| John Rollins | 70-69-67 | — | 206 |
| Dustin Johnson | 70-69-67 | — | 206 |
| Ernie Els | 69-70-67 | — | 206 |
| Jeff Klauk | 70-68-68 | — | 206 |
| Omar Uresti | 70-68-68 | — | 206 |
| Tim Clark | 71-67-68 | — | 206 |
| Troy Merritt | 65-71-70 | — | 206 |
| Ricky Barnes | 67-69-70 | — | 206 |
| Retief Goosen | 69-67-70 | — | 206 |
| Mark Wilson | 68-67-71 | — | 206 |
| Nick O'Hern | 71-69-67 | — | 207 |
| Joe Ogilvie | 69-71-67 | — | 207 |
| Boo Weekley | 71-68-68 | — | 207 |
| Henrik Bjornstad | 71-68-68 | — | 207 |
| Bob Estes | 68-70-69 | — | 207 |
| Dean Wilson | 71-67-69 | — | 207 |
| Brian Gay | 68-69-70 | — | 207 |
| Blake Adams | 69-67-71 | — | 207 |
| Stephen Ames | 68-67-72 | — | 207 |
| Roger Tambellini | 66-69-72 | — | 207 |
| Angel Cabrera | 66-68-73 | — | 207 |
| Richard S. Johnson | 71-70-67 | — | 208 |
| K.J. Choi | 71-70-67 | — | 208 |
| Spencer Levin | 69-71-68 | — | 208 |
| Bubba Watson | 69-70-69 | — | 208 |
| Y.E. Yang | 70-69-69 | — | 208 |
| Mark Calcavecchia | 71-68-69 | — | 208 |
| Marc Leishman | 69-69-70 | — | 208 |
| Justin Rose | 72-65-71 | — | 208 |
| Kevin Na | 73-68-68 | — | 209 |
| Vijay Singh | 69-72-68 | — | 209 |
| Martin Flores | 66-74-69 | — | 209 |
| Ryuichi Oda | 68-72-69 | — | 209 |
| Jason Day | 73-67-69 | — | 209 |
| Woody Austin | 70-69-70 | — | 209 |
| Tom Gillis | 71-68-70 | — | 209 |
| Brian Stuard | 66-73-70 | — | 209 |
| Kevin Johnson | 68-71-70 | — | 209 |
| Brian Davis | 70-69-70 | — | 209 |
| David Toms | 70-69-70 | — | 209 |
| Corey Pavin | 71-67-71 | — | 209 |
| Chris Tidland | 69-68-72 | — | 209 |
| Jim Carter | 71-70-69 | — | 210 |
| Jason Dufner | 69-72-69 | — | 210 |
| Rich Barcelo | 70-71-69 | — | 210 |
| David Lutterus | 73-67-70 | — | 210 |
| Stewart Cink | 68-72-70 | — | 210 |
| Ryuji Imada | 68-72-70 | — | 210 |
| Jeff Maggert | 73-66-71 | — | 210 |
| Alex Prugh | 74-67-70 | — | 211 |
| Aaron Goldberg | 70-71-70 | — | 211 |
| Jonathan Byrd | 75-64-72 | — | 211 |
| Sean O'Hair | 68-69-74 | — | 211 |
| Jerod Turner | 71-69-72 | — | 212 |
| Fredrik Jacobson | 70-71-72 | — | 213 |
| Ben Curtis | 70-69-74 | — | 213 |
| Webb Simpson | 71-68-74 | — | 213 |
| Kevin Hayashi | 74-67-75 | — | 216 |
