Mercury Rising
3-way tie on top as Scott stays in hunt
Adam Scott keeps his composure as he stays within striking distance of leaders David Puig, Ricardo Gouveia, and Anthony Quayle in the Australian PGA Championship on Saturday.
BRISBANE, Australia (AFP) — Spain’s David Puig, Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and Anthony Quayle shared a one-shot lead at the Australian PGA Championship Saturday with local heroes Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott within striking distance.
LIV Golf’s Puig hit six birdies in an unblemished round of 65 at the Royal Queensland Golf Club to be 13-under for the tournament.
Gouveia sprinkled seven birdies with two bogeys in his 66 with both men bidding for a maiden DP World Tour win at the season-opening tournament.
“I was very consistent off the tee, and then I kept hitting greens which is really important on this course, and holed a few putts, which was great,” Gouveia said.
“I’ve never been in the lead on a Saturday going into Sunday, so it’s going to be a new experience. I’m happy and looking forward to the day.”
They were joined at the top by Australia’s Quayle, who is exuding confidence with Tiger Woods’ former caddie Steve Williams on the bag, snagging birdies at 15 and 17 to stay in the hunt after dropping a shot at the 14th.
“Steve and I were focusing on trying to get in the final grouping (for Sunday),” said Quayle after firing a 67.
“That’s where I want to be, I want to be in that position, I want to be feeling the nerves, I want to be trying to hit big shots under a bit of pressure. So I’m really excited for tomorrow.”
Adam Scott keeps his composure as he stays within striking distance of leaders David Puig, Ricardo Gouveia, and Anthony Quayle in the Australian PGA Championship on Saturday.
Jared C. Tilton/Agence France-Presse
Lee, who secured a maiden PGA Tour win at the Houston Open in March and is the 2023 Australian PGA champion, is a shot further back alongside New Zealand overnight leader Kazuma Kobori.
Two-time champion Scott nailed five front-nine birdies to power up the leaderboard and sank another two before bogeys on 14 and 17 blotted his card.
Scott, an 11-time European Tour winner to go with 14 PGA Tour victories, finished with a 66 to be two off the pace with fellow Australians Marc Leishman and Daniel Hillier, and China’s Ding Wenyi.
“It’s hard to complain about 66,” said Scott, but added that he will need a something special on Sunday to win.
“A strong front nine to put myself in it and then maybe, if I can get my name up the top with seven or eight to go. But I’ll have to close well too.”
Breakout DP World Tour star Marco Penge, second to Rory McIlroy on the European rankings, has his work cut out, five behind the leaders.