By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
(With a report from AP)
Rico Hoey shot a decent 3-under-par 69 but still fell outside of the Top 20 after three rounds in the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos, Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 9.
The Fil-American Hoey blew hot and cold under tricky wind conditions at the El Cardonal at Diamante by firing six birdies against three bogeys to post a 10-under 206 total, tying eight others. He had earlier rounds of 67 and 70.
Although he trails co-leaders Justin Lower, Nico Echavarria and Carson Young by six strokes heading to the final round, more than 20 players separate Hoey and the pacesetters. Joe Highsmith (65), Austin Eckroat (66) and Max Greyserman (69) were a stroke back, while Ben Griffin (66) and Maverick McNealy (67) only trailed by two strokes, but were at seventh to eighth places.
Hoey, who lost his opening-round overnight lead after skidding at 15th in the second, appeared smooth in the front nine by shooting three birdies in the first four holes against a bogey 4 on the ninth.
But he had trouble onthe back nine where he shot a birdie and a bogey on the 10th and 12th, then another birdie-bogey on the 14th and 15th, before firing a birdie on the 18th.
Meanwhile, Lower highlighted his round by making an 11-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th of a scintillating 9-under-63, matching his best round on the PGA Tour.
“There’s 18 holes tomorrow on a very scorable golf course,” Lower said. “I think the wind’s going to stay down again, so I have to go out and basically shoot probably somewhere between 5- and 9- under again. It’s just the way the scores are out here. If the wind’s down, scores are going to be low.”
The 35-year-old American birdied the par-4 17th in the bogey-free round. He’s trying to win for the first time on the tour.
