Weekley in good position to repeat at Heritage

Posted: Sat Apr 19 6:16 PM

Hilton Head Island, SC (Sports Network) - Defending champion Boo Weekley fired a six-under 65 on Saturday to take a three-shot lead heading into the final round of the Heritage.

Weekley, who won a Monday finish last year when he chipped in for par at his last two holes, was at 15-under 198 through three rounds for a three-shot cushion on Anthony Kim.

Kim had a four-under 67 on Saturday, moving into second place alone at 12- under 201.

Aaron Baddeley (67), Jason Bohn (67) and Cliff Kresge (68) were tied for third place at 10-under 203, with Jim Furyk (68) another shot further back at nine- under 204.

Weekley's one-shot win over Ernie Els last year remains his only PGA Tour victory.

On Sunday, he will be looking to become the first back-to-back winner at this tournament since Davis Love III, a five-time Heritage champion, won it in 1991-92.

"I think if I could carry this over to every tournament, I think I'd be up on top about every week," said Weekley, who had seven birdies and just one bogey on Saturday.

Trailing Lucas Glover by a stroke overnight, Weekley strung together five straight birdies on the front nine to take two-shot lead. He chipped in for the first birdie at No. 4, then ended the run with a 25-foot birdie putt at the eighth.

"I got to feeling pretty good how I was putting the ball," said Weekley.

His birdie streak came to an end at the ninth, though, where Weekley instead saved par from a bunker. He made a three-foot birdie putt at the 12th, then dropped his only shot of the round with a bogey from the rough at the 16th -- his first bogey since the opening round.

Weekley gained his three-shot lead with a closing birdie at the 18th, where he knocked his approach to five feet and made the putt.

It marked the first time Weekley -- playing for the second straight season on the PGA Tour after spending four on the Nationwide Tour -- held a 54-hole PGA Tour lead.

"I'll probably be a little nervous (on Sunday)," said Weekley. "But if you ask everybody having the lead going into the last day, they are all a little bit jittery. Whatever happens, happens."

Weekley's early birdie run on Saturday helped him fend off a stiff charge by Kim, who had made an eagle at No. 3 and two birdies on the front nine to get within two of the lead.

Kim knocked his drive into the water at the 10th hole, but saved par by chipping in from 31 feet. He was within one shot of Weekley after rolling in a seven-foot birdie putt at the 12th, but Kim gave that shot right back with a bogey at the 13th.

Further down the leaderboard lurked a couple of players with winning histories at this event.

Two-time Heritage champion Stewart Cink shot a 70 and was tied for seventh place with overnight leader Glover (73) at eight-under 205. And seeking his sixth Heritage crown, Love was another shot further back at seven-under 206 after carding a 69 on Saturday.