Manwatu golfer Tim Wilkinson is just two strokes off the lead after three rounds of the latest PGA tour event in Puerto Rico.
Following rounds of 71 and 63, Wilkinson carded a three-under par 69 today in Rio Grande to be 13-under for the tournament.
American Chris Stroud took a one-stroke at the Puerto Rico Open, declaring it was time to win a PGA Tour event.
Stroud, winless in 276 starts on tour, has come close with a playoff loss in Hartford in 2013, but has never lifted a trophy.
Despite career earnings of nearly $10 million, he is far from satisfied.
"I feel like I'm way overdue, the 35-year-old Texan told Golf Channel after making birdie at the par-five 18th for a five-under-par 67 at Coco Beach.
"At this point I've got experience on my side. I was very calm today. Nothing really freaks me out."
Stroud, at 15-under 201, heads fellow Americans D.A. Points (69) and Bill Lunde (69) by one stroke, with six others two strokes behind.
With such a tightly-bunched leaderboard, Stroud knows he will need to attack on Sunday to have a chance of winning.
"I'm going to try to get to 20-under or more, he said. With these conditions you've got to make a lot of birdies. It's not one of those golf courses you can sit around and make pars.
Wilkinson's fellow New Zealanders, Danny Lee carded a third round 72 to stay at five-under for the event while Steven Alker's 71 moved him to four-under par.
With nearly all of the game's top players competing at the WGC-Dell Match Play in Austin, a weak field at the Puerto Rico could provide a springboard to success for the eventual winner, though the champion will not receive an invitation to the Masters next month.
- Reuters.