Golf

Guthrie and Thompson two clear of field

Golf: Luke Guthrie and Michael Thompson share the lead going into the final day of the Honda Classic, with both men chasing …

Michael Thompson (left) and Luke Guthrie lead the field at the Honda Classic in Florida by two shots heading into the final round. Photograph: Andrew Innerarity/Reuters
Michael Thompson (left) and Luke Guthrie lead the field at the Honda Classic in Florida by two shots heading into the final round. Photograph: Andrew Innerarity/Reuters
Sun Mar 03 2013 - 00:00

Golf:Luke Guthrie and Michael Thompson share the lead going into the final day of the Honda Classic, with both men chasing a maiden PGA Tour win.

Twenty-three-year-old Guthrie emerged from yesterday‘s Rory McIlroy-dominated round with the lead and, despite losing it to compatriot Thompson on Saturday, got himself a share of it by the close.

In fact, he was the outright pacesetter until Thompson, 27, birdied the par-five last to join him on eight under for the week, and the pair go into the final round two shots clear of the field.

Thompson had the marginally better day as he went round in an even 70, although neither man will have little to complain about, especially in a tournament which lost the world number one yesterday when McIlroy dramatically withdrew.

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Lee Westwood and Geoff Ogilvy are their nearest challengers heading in to the final day, with the former recovering well from a poor front nine.

The English golfer man dropped three and picked up one shot before the turn, but was much more measured heading home, posting birdies at the 14th and 17th for a par that leaves him on six under.

Ogilvy carded a birdie on the last to join Westwood, while Rickie Fowler is next, a last-hole eagle leaving him one under for the day and putting him five below par for the week, the same as Charles Howell who dropped a shot on yesterday’s round.

Graham DeLaet sits with them, while YE Yang trimmed three shots today to get move to four under, one of a quartet on that score, with England‘s Justin Rose among that number.

Boo Weekley is three under while Graeme McDowell‘s three-over means he is six off the pace and not in the middle of a title battle.

Tiger Woods went around in par to maintain his even score for the tournament and there were plenty of high-profile players to fare worse than that.

Martin Kaymer was six over for the day and Ernie Els five - the pair dropping to three and four over for the tournament - while Wales’ Jamie Donaldson added six to the par and England’s Ross Fisher seven.

Westwood backed himself to challenge the leaders on the final day.

“I like my chances regardless of the conditions,” said Westwood. “I’m playing nicely. Just got a couple of mistakes I made today, but other than that, I’m playing solidly. I have to start making a few putts. I had a lot of chances to make putts that just grazed the hole. I like being out late on a Sunday and having a chance.”