Pádraig Harrington finds himself just three shots back going into the final round of the PGA Champions Tour’s Cologuard Classic in Arizona after a five-under 66 that lifted him into a tie for fifth.
Harrington had opened with a three-under 68 in unseasonably cold conditions on Friday, and it took him a little time to warm up on Saturday, making two birdies and one bogey on his front nine.
Back-to-back birdies to start the back nine turned up the temperature dial, and though he’d trade a bogey at 12 with another birdie at 13, he closed out the round with two more birdies back-to-back on 16 and 17 to move within three strokes of leader Greg Chalmers.
“Well, the game warmed up a little with the warmer weather,” Harrington wrote on X after his round.
Chalmers looked set to lead by a couple of strokes before a bogey on the par-5 16th set him back, but he still holds a one-stroke advantage over Stewart Cink, with Alex Cejka and Ernie Els one stroke further adrift on -9.
“I felt really good today,” said Chalmers, who is seeking his first Champions Tour victory. “I’m really pleased with four-under, I thought that was a really nice score particularly when you have a one- or two-shot lead going into this kind of day. I have a one-shot lead going into tomorrow now. Some of that may be relatively new territory for me, I don’t think I’ve done that before, certainly not on the Champions Tour.
“I really felt pleased with how I conducted myself today and the shots I chose and predominantly how I executed. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. There’s a few guys with a chance to have a good day and see if they can’t have a win, so great to be part of that mix.”
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