Akron, Ohio — Steve Stricker chipped in twice for birdie on the last five holes and shot a 3-under 67 on Saturday at Firestone to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Kaulig Companies Championship.
Winless this season, Stricker is trying to win the senior major championship for the third time in four years. He chipped in on the par-4 14th and 18th holes, the last getting him to 9-under 201 on the difficult South course.
“I didn’t play very well today, I scored well,” said Stricker, the 57-year-old Wisconsin player who won at Firestone in 2021 and 2023.
Hall of Famer Ernie Els and Robert Karlsson were tied for second. Els, a two-time winner this season, holed out from 132 yards from the rough for eagle on the par-4 17th in a 64. Karlsson shot 66.
Stricker has seven major titles and 17 overall victories on the 50-and-over tour. He had three bogeys in the round.
“It’s a tough golf course,” Stricker said. “You get out of position, you have to rely on your short game a lot and I got out of position quite a a few times I should say. You’ve just got to keep grinding it out.
“It’s one of those courses that just keeps coming after you, too. If you’re off a little bit, you pay the price.”
Els used a wedge for the eagle on 16.
“Can’t see the ball land and I just watched the crowd behind,” Els said. “The one tall guy behind just went really ballistic, so I knew it was in so it was really cool.”
Jerry Kelly, the 2020 and 2022 champion, had a 67 to join fourth-alternate Michael Wright (63) and K.J. Choi (67) at 6 under. Wright had the low round of the day.
“I had a section through the middle of the round where I actually blacked out,” Wright said. “I didn’t even put any scores. down on my scorecard, I had forgotten to write the scores.”
Second-round leader Steven Alker had a 74 to drop into a tie for 10th at 3 under.
The event — originally called the Senior Players Championship — is the fourth of five majors on the PGA Tour Champions, with the winner getting a spot in The Players Championship in March.
Scottish Open
Ludvig Aberg overcame a pair of bogeys early on the back nine with three late birdies that carried him to a 5-under 65 Saturday at the Scottish Open at North Berwick, slightly dampening the enthusiasm of a gallery fully behind local star Robert MacIntyre.
“Not the most stress-free golf, but it was again a good score,” Aberg said. “I’m pleased with the way I hung in there and finished it out.”
The final round before most of the field heads to Royal Troon for the British Open was packed with possibilities, starting with MacIntyre.
Scotland’s best player, already with a PGA Tour victory this year in the Canadian Open, surged to a two-shot lead at one point and heard his name chanted along the way. He closed with a tough bogey and still shot 63, putting him in the final group with Aberg.
“I’ve not been shy in saying it: The Scottish Open is the one I want,” MacIntyre said. “It’s not going to change tomorrow. I’m in that position. I’ve been doing good things. I’ve been playing well, not just this week but for the previous eight weeks I feel like my game has been in good shape. Tomorrow, I’ve just got to control me.
“And if I do that well, then I’m going to be in with a chance.”
MacIntyre looked like a winner in the Scottish Open a year ago until Rory McIlroy birdied the last hole with a 2-iron from 201 yards into a harsh wind off the Firth of Forth to deny him.
Now he’s back, trying to block out the hype and the cheers, knowing what it would mean.
“All I can do is hit the golf ball as well as I can and accept the outcome,” MacIntyre said.
Tougher than the expectations is chasing down Aberg, the Swedish star with the flawless swing who was at his best in a light rain to at least give himself some separation.
Aberg was at 17-under 193 as he goes for his first victory of the year, and third in a career that began only 13 months ago after leaving Texas Tech as the top player in college golf.
Adam Scott played with MacIntyre and had a 64, leaving him three shots behind in pursuit of his first victory in more than four years. Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala each had a 66 and were four behind. Theegala bogeyed his last two holes after briefly sharing the lead.
McIlroy was still in the game, despite his putter going cold down the stretch for the third straight day. He had to settle for a 67. That left him five shots behind Aberg, a player he lobbied to have in the Ryder Cup last year.
Aberg came back to the field with a bogey on the 11th and then a three-putt bogey on the 12th when he missed a 30-inch putt. That was the last of his big mistakes. He had three birdies and two par saves the rest of the way.
But the crowd was all about Bob.
MacIntyre, the lefty from the northwest coastal town of Oban, got them into it early with a five-hole stretch he played in 5 under, including a drive on the 329-yard fifth hole to 40 feet for eagle.
Scott has played all over the world with home favorites – including a group one year at the Japan Open with Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Ishikawa – and this felt like a joy ride.
“Bob’s playing great and he’s the hero,” Scott said. “Playing golf in Scotland is fantastic – love it my whole career – but playing with Bob today was really special. Trying to hang on to his coattails while he was running hot was good fun.”
Scott did his part to hang with him with three straight birdies in the middle of the back nine to give himself a good chance, and build some momentum going into the British Open next week at Royal Troon.
Antoine Rozner holed out from the seventh fairway for eagle that helped him to a 68 and in the group at 13-under par, important because the Frenchman is not yet in the British Open.
The leading three players not already exempt will get into the final major. Maximilian Kieffer of Germany boosted his chances with a 64 that left him at 10 under and in a tie for 11th.
Evian Championship
Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia posted seven birdies in a 4-under 67 and will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Evian Championship at Evian-les-Bains, France.
Kyriacou was at 14 under overall after the third round on Saturday, just ahead of overnight clubhouse leader Ayaka Furue of Japan (70) and Lauren Coughlin of the United States (65), who were tied for second.
“I’m just trying to stay patient. The more you play this course, the more you figure out the tips and tricks,” Kyriacou said. “I don’t think I’ve been in contention in a major before, so it’s exciting.”
Furue carded two bogeys, ending an impressive streak of 46 holes without one.
Coughlin, who tied for third at the Chevron Championship for her best finish at a major, had a spectacular day at Evian Resort Golf Club, recording two eagles.
“I’ve just been hitting my irons and driver extremely well, and finally rolling in some putts, too. It was a great round,” Coughlin said.
Defending champion Celine Boutier of France started her round with a triple bogey, setting a tone that she struggled to recover from. She finished with a 69 and was 11 strokes behind Kyriacou.
“I tried to forget that first hole and start over, but I admit it was a bit difficult,” Boutier said. “It’s frustrating, but that’s part of golf. I hope to have a better day tomorrow.”