Eagle puts Stratford Eagle Henley back on track, takes three-shot lead into Wyndham final round
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Russell Henley was in the lead, but not pulling away, only maintaining, while the field slowly crept closer.
Henley hit what looked like might be the start of some struggles when he bogeyed No. 11, but three pars followed and while contenders tried to keep the heat on, an eagle on 15 steered him back into control and a solid lead after three rounds of the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., the final event of the PGA Tour season.
The Stratford and Georgia grad enters the final round with a three-shot lead over Tyler McCumber, with a 15-under 195.
He’s going for his fourth career PGA Tour win, and first since 2017.
Because of impending weather issues, Sunday’s tee times have been moved up to 7-9 a.m. with groups of three of split tees. Streaming coverage begins at 8:30 a.m. Henley tees off at 9:12 a.m., with Tyler McCumber and Branden Grace.
Henley was steady, with a bogey on 11 and 18, an eagle, and pars the rest of the way for a 1-under 69.
It wasn’t until that eagle that Henley finally got back under par after spending eight of the first 14 holes even or one under.
“Yeah, I’m not always going to shoot 62 or 64. I feel thankful to be under par today,” Henley told reporters. “I feel like mentally I was pretty tough considering how I was feeling. I was really doing a good job of committing to all my shots, but you’ve just got to hit fairways out here.
“And my bogey on 11 came from hitting the fairway, so just a little bit sloppy, but overall made some good decisions, made some really nice up-and-downs and I’m thankful for where I am.”
Henley was only out of the lead for awhile early in the second round, thanks to a late tee time and a good start from Rory Sabbatini, Scott Piercy and Webb Simpson. He regained the lead and kept it for a second straight round.
Then he spent Saturday fending off a variety of contenders.
Sabbatini, Simpson, and Piercy started Saturday tied for second. Sabbatini lost ground with consecutive bogeys on the front nine and another on 11.
Simpson and Piercy stayed steady and within a few shots most of the day, Simpson dropping midway through the back nine.
Tyler Duncan stormed into contention with a 62 on Friday, and was right behind Henley until a double bogey on 11 took care of that.
Justin Rose dropped after bogeys on 11 and 12.
Co-Georgia golf alum Kevin Kisner – playing about four holes ahead of Henley - had a pair of nice rounds, 65 and 68, before finding a groove on Saturday, with five birdies and a bogey on the front nine to eventually get into second by himself.
The lead dropped from four to start the day to one when Henley’s second shot on 11 got him in trouble and he settled for his first bogey of the day.
At that point, Henley was even through 12 and Kinsler was 6 under through 16.
Some hiccups continued for Henley, who went from rough to off the green on 13, but his third shot left him in good shape for a tap-in par.
Kisner had a chance to jump into a tie, but his birdie try on 17 went long and he ended up with a bogey, and Henley’s lead returned to two, over Kisner, Simpson, Piercy, and McCumber.
Kisner then bogeyed 18 to fall three back, while Simpson went into a free-fall with a triple bogey on 14.
And just like that, the lead was four after Henley drilled a 33-foot eagle on 15.
The next five behind him at that point were done for the day. Rose was five back and on 18, Piercy five back through 15. McCumber had sole possession of second, with six tied for third.
Piercy stayed close and is in that logjam tied for third.
Henley three-putted 18 for a bogey, but still a three-shot lead and momentum.