Ryan Palmer extends his lead in the third round of HP Byron Nelson Championship
Ryan Palmer defied all odds to extend his second round lead in the third round of the HP Byron Nelson Championship, battering a difficult day at the TPC Four Seasons. The day turned out to be the toughest Texan summer days when the scorching sun, coupled
with high winds, came down hard on the players.
Palmer finished for a disappointing three-over, 73, still successfully leading the third round with one shot over fast approaching Sergio Garcia. The scores for the third day alone, spoke volumes of the difficult day on the course.
"We chalked it up as a hard day of golf," Palmer said. "If you had told me Thursday I was going to have a one-shot lead, I would have called you a liar and said whatever. But my bad round is out of the way, I think, and I still lead by one."
Most of the players fell for bogeys at the last holes on the course, where the wind gusts thrashed the fairways with speeds of 25mph to even 40mph. Palmer also fell in for bogeys at the last three holes, barely averting a contention for the lead, while Garcia
carded a round of 74 with bogeys at a6th and 18th holes.
"It was definitely hard. At the same time I have to say I got nothing out of my round," Garcia said. "I could not shoot one shot higher than I did. So if you look at it that way, and I'm only one shot behind Ryan, and I have tomorrow, I think it's pretty
positive."
Palmer has had a successful season this year, although he hasn’t won a title on the tour so far. He finished fourth in the Bob Hope Classic earlier in the season and also finished 10th in last month’s Masters at Augusta National.
Arjun Atwal carded the best round of 67 for the day and finished for joint third with Ryuji Imada. Only eight out of a total field of 74 were able to shoot under par and none of the rounds were bogey-free. A forecast for the final day is not encouraging
and the players will be facing another tough day on the course, in attempts to clinch the $6.5 million title with a winner’s share of $1,170,000.
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