Jason Day hit only three fairways in a wayward driving display but the world number one scrambled well enough to earn a share of the third-round lead with American Scott Piercy at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio Saturday. The 28-year-old Australian carded 69 for a five-under total of 205 to match US Open runner-up Piercy, who shot 67 despite a bogey after an errant tee shot at the closing hole at difficult Firestone Country Club. The co-leaders have a one-stroke lead over Swede David Lingmerth (69), with American Brian Stuard (67) two strokes behind in the World Golf Championships event. "I felt like Mr. Havercamp out of Caddyshack, not knowing where my golf ball was going," Day told CBS television, referring to the comedy golf movie that remains a favorite among tour players who were not even born when the film was released in 1980. Day, who has won seven times in the past 12 months, would like to find his form, and not only to add an eighth title. He also has an eye on the British Open at Royal Troon in two weeks. "I'm pretty exhausted right now. I hope I find something in my sleep," he said. Day and the 37-year-old Piercy are the only two players in the field to have posted three straight sub-70 rounds at Firestone. Piercy, a three-time PGA Tour winner, took plenty of positives from his tie for second at the US Open at Oakmont two weeks ago. "It definitely helped the confidence," said Piercy, who hit eight of 14 fairways in his third round. US Open champion Dustin Johnson fired the day's low round of 66 to move up 17 spots and into a tie for fifth with South African Charl Schwartzel (67) and American William McGirt (70), three strokes off the pace. Henderson leads Portland Classic Defending champion Brooke Henderson fired a two-under par 70 Saturday to seize a two-stroke lead after the third round of the LPGA Portland Classic. The 18-year-old Canadian, ranked second in the world, stood on 13-under par 203 after 54 holes at 6,476-yard Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon. Colombia's Mariajo Uribe was second on 205 after a third-round 71, with Norway's Suzann Pettersen shooting a 74 with six bogeys and four birdies to fall to a share of third with American Austin Ernst on 207. Henderson birdied the third and par-five seventh holes and began the back nine with another birdie. But she stumbled with a double bogey at the par-three 13th to fall back, before a birdie at the par-three 16th boosted her lead. Uribe opened with a bogey, then birdied a trio of par-five holes — the fifth, seventh and 12th. The South American standout then took a double bogey at 13 as well, but also bounced back with a birdie at 16. "I've been putting well all week," said Uribe, who has never won in six years on the tour. Three Americans qualified for the British Women's Open as a result of their 54-hole showing on 140 — Kelly Shon, Brianna Do and Cheyenne Woods, the 25-year-old niece of Tiger Woods. Henderson won her first LPGA title at this event last year. Her eight-stroke romp made her the third-youngest winner in LPGA history and earned her an immediate spot on the tour. Henderson won her first major title last month at the Women's PGA Championship. A birdie on the first playoff hole denied top-ranked Lydia Ko of New Zealand her third consecutive major title in a row. Next week Henderson could seek her second major title in a row at the US Women's Open. Chalmers closing on first PGA Tour win in Reno Greg Chalmers made five birdies over his final six holes to remain on course for a maiden PGA Tour triumph after the Australian extended his lead at the Barracuda Championship to six points after three rounds Saturday. Chalmers carded a 15-point round for a 54-hole total of 39, well clear of Americans Ben Martin and Gary Woodland at an event that uses the modified Stableford system at the scenic Montreux Golf layout in Reno, Nevada. Martin's 16-point haul was the best round of the day, while Woodland tallied 11 points to stay in the hunt for the title. Scot Martin Laird is fourth on 28 points after a six-point round. The format awards eight points for an albatross, five for eagle, two for birdie, zero for par, and subtracts a point for bogey and three for double-bogey or worse. The 42-year-old Chalmers began the day with a two-point lead over Woodland and although the Australian bogeyed his opening hole, he rode a hot putter thereafter to rebound with eight birdies. World ranked 490th, Chalmers has conditional status on the PGA Tour and remains without a victory on the North America-based circuit in 385 career starts. Also at stake for Chalmers and many of the other leading contenders is a spot in the British Open at Royal Troon later this month after next week's event, the Greenbrier Classic, was called off due to flooding in West Virginia. The British Open exemption normally available at that event was subsequently transferred to the leading player at Reno who does not already have a spot. Woodland is the only golfer in the top-20 who has already qualified for Royal Troon. — Agencies Caption: Jason Day of Australia watches his tee shot on the sixth hole during the third round of the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Saturday. — Reuters
