Senden leads John Deere Classic
SILVIS, Ill. (AP) – He hit a wedge within a few feet of the first hole and added another birdie on the second. Not a bad start. Now, all John Senden needs is a strong finish.
The Australian’s first PGA Tour victory is in reach after he took the lead and the spotlight at the John Deere Classic on Saturday, one day after Michelle Wie withdrew because of heat exhaustion.
With temperatures in the low 90s, Senden shot a 7-under 64 and was 16 under through three rounds.
“I’m excited to come out here,” Senden said. “I can’t say that I won’t be nervous. I wouldn’t be human if I wasn’t. But I’ve got to manage it the best way I can and get out there and play.”
He has little room for error.
Heath Slocum and Patrick Sheehan were three back at 13 under after 66s. Second-round leader Joe Ogilvie (69), Alex Cejka (64), Steve Jones (66), J.P. Hayes (66) and Daniel Chopra (68) were 12 under.
With the hype surrounding Wie’s bid to become the first woman in 61 years to make the cut on the PGA Tour, the rest of the field was overshadowed.
The 16-year-old Wie had finished a combined five shots off the lead in the first three LPGA Tour majors this year and was back at the site of her close call in 2005, when she missed the cut by two strokes. A 6-over 77 on the first day all but dashed her hopes. And with the temperature at 88 Friday, the heat got to her. Wie was 8 over when she withdrew after nine holes, making her 0-for-5 on the PGA Tour.
In a four-way tie for second and one shot off the lead through two rounds, Senden birdied the first two holes and seven in all. He saved par on No. 17 after his tee shot sailed to the right and landed beyond a walkway, and birdied the 18th.
It’s the first time he has led after three rounds since joining the PGA tour in the fall 2001. Senden’s best finish was a tie for fifth at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in January.
“There are a lot of other Australian players out here that have won, and to join that group would be great,” Senden said.
Winning would mean “self-satisfaction, thinking that I’ve been out here quite a while now, five years. And I’m really looking forward to getting to that next level and satisfying myself that way.”
He realizes the top golfers often skip this event, with the British Open coming up. Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson are not here.
The Deere is “a different kettle of fish,” Senden said. “But that doesn’t affect scoring; it really doesn’t. These guys are all in this. Every golfer in this tournament can shoot really low scores.”
Cejka birdied the 10th, 11th and 12th holes. He was at 13 under for the tournament after a birdie – his eighth – on No. 17, but bogeyed the par-4 18th.
The Czech-born German’s final tee shot hit a tree along the right side of the fairway and settled just beyond the rope. He lined his next shot between two trees, the ball rolling about 35 yards past the pin.
“I actually wanted to hit it just short of the green, but I hit it a little more solid and it was just a rocket,” said Cejka, seeking his first PGA Tour victory.