Sony Open in Hawaii – Day 3 report

Defending champion Jimmy Walker closed his third-round with 11 straight one putts to take a two-shot lead from Matt Kuchar into Sunday

Defending champion Jimmy Walker closed his third-round 62 with 11 straight one putts to go to 16 under and take a two-shot lead into the final day of the Sony Open in Hawaii. This is the third time Walker has been atop the leaderboard in a PGA Tour event going into the final day. Last year he went from this position to victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am; last week at Kapalua his final day ended in a play-off loss to Patrick Reed.

“Somebody is shooting a low round every day, and you never know where it's going to come from,” Walker said. “So you've got to go out with the expectation you've got to shoot a good score tomorrow.”

Without the strong winds blowing this week which are part of this course’s traditional defences, there has been a score of 62 each day. This has encouraged Matt Kuchar, one of three players tied for the lead at the start of Saturday, and who shot a 68 to lie alone in second place going into the final day, to say that anyone within six shots of the lead has a chance on Sunday.

If Kuchar is correct, this leaves one of his co-leaders after day two, Webb Simpson, still in the hunt despite a bad day. Simpson made three bogeys and just one birdie in a 72, and ending the day in an 11-way tie for eighth at 10 under.

The other joint leader at the start of the day, 21-year-old Justin Thomas, was playing in the final group on the weekend for the first time. He was tied for the lead through 12 holes until dropping a shot on the 13th, and another on the 16th, before a birdie on 18 left him four shots back in a tie for 5th.

With the large halfway cut of 85 players, 15 players missed the secondary cut of the Sony Open in Hawaii after round three. Among these was 16-year-old local amateur Kyle Suppa who added a 71 to his two 69s, to miss the cut by two shots.

One who missed the initial cut.was Robert Allenby who his caddie, Mick Middlemo reports, was kidnapped leaving a bar late on Friday night in Honolulu. Mr Middlemo says Allenby was beaten up and robbed of his wallet, mobile phone, cash and credit cards, before being dropped off in a park more than six miles away.

Sony Open in Hawaii leaderboard

Sony Open in Hawaii day two report

Sony Open in Hawaii day one report