Canada’s Hadwin, Pendrith close behind Fowler after 3rd round of Rocket Mortgage Classic
Rickie Fowler has put himself in a position to win another PGA Tour title.
He hopes to take advantage of it for a change.
Fowler birdied six of his last eight holes on Saturday to extend the Rocket Mortgage Classic lead at 20 under, giving him another chance to end a four-year PGA Tour winning drought.
“I’m not afraid to fail,” said Fowler, who had an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, BC, at Detroit Golf Club. “I’ve dealt with it enough.”
Indeed.
Two weeks ago in Los Angeles in the US Open, Fowler squandered a slot 75 tie for fifth place. And last week at the Travelers Championship, he shot a career-best 60 in the third round to contend and finished with a 69 to tie for 13th.
“Felt really good last Sunday and just couldn’t get anything going, couldn’t get anything out,” said Fowler. “Sunday at the US Open, the timing was a bit off.”
WATCH l 2 Canadians battle in Detroit:
Abbotsford, Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith of BC of Richmond Hill, Ont. sits 2nd and 3rd, respectively, heading into the final day of the PGA Rocket Mortgage Classic.
The 34-year-old Fowler has led or shared the 54-hole lead 10 times on the PGA Tour, converting the advantage into a championship only twice.
Fowler, who has never won a major, won the 2019 Phoenix Open for his only win in six years. He makes his 96th start since his last title, ends the longest drought of his career and wins for the sixth time on the PGA Tour.
“Or it happens [Sunday] or not, it’s going to happen here soon,” said Fowler, who has finished in the top 10 seven times this season and is number 17 in the FedEx Cup standings. in good positions.
Hadwin had a season-low 63 to tie the tournament record.
“One of the hardest things in golf is getting out of the way when things are going well,” he said. “I fell victim to that.”
Hadwin was a victim of mistaken identity a few weeks ago when he was tackled by a security guard at the Canadian Open following fellow Canadian Nick Taylor’s win.
‘The man who was tackled’
Hadwin rushed to the 18th green at Toronto’s Oakdale as he sprayed celebratory bubbles from a bottle after Taylor beat Tommy Fleetwood. A security guard trying to protect Taylor knocked Hadwin to the ground, and videos of the scene went viral on social media.
“Everyone knows who I am because I am the man who was tackled,” he said.
Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., was third at 18 under on a 67. The big hitter bogeyed two of his last four holes at Detroit Golf Club.
Hadwin hopes to become the fifth player from Canada to win the PGA Tour this season.
If Hadwin or Pendrith win the Rocket Mortgage Classic, it would be the first time five-plus players from outside the US have won the PGA Tour in a single season since six Australians clinched titles during the 2013-2014 season.
Monday qualifier Peter Kuest (65) and Aaron Rai (68) were 17 under. Taylor Moore (69) was one stroke back with four other players, including Collin Morikawa, who shot a 67 for the second day in a row.
Play was interrupted for 1 hour and 42 minutes due to lightning in the area and the schedule for the final round was adjusted in hopes of completing the final round with inclement weather in the forecast.
The leaders tee off just before 9 a.m. Sunday morning — about 5 hours ahead of the original schedule — and trios start both ahead and behind nine.
