LAST UPDATE
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4 hrs ago
PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON IS four shots off the lead heading into the final round of the Insperity Invitational on the PGA Tour Champions.
Harrington, who hit a 70 in the opening round, powered himself into contention at the Woodlands Country Club in Texas with a brilliant six-under 66 in the second round to leave him at eight-under.
After starting his round on the back nine, Harrington was three-under on the turn after birdies on the 10th, 13th and 15th holes. He added three more birdies at the second, fourth and seventh holes.
America’s Boo Weekley currently holds a one-shot lead at 12-under, with Ernie Els just behind on 11-under.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy has slipped back at the at the Truist Championship. The four-time winner of the event, who was previously in contention, is on one-under overall after a difficult third round.
McIlroy signed for a four-over 75, leaving himself 13 shots off the lead held by England’s Alex Fitzpatrick at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Holywood man started his third round with a birdie on the first but then unravelled after dropping shots at the fourth and sixth holes. He then added four consecutive bogeys between the 10th and 13th holes before recovering with a birdie at 15.
McIlroy had not played since securing a second successive green jacket almost a month ago, opting to get back into the swing at Quail Hollow before heading to the US PGA on Monday for the year’s second major.
Fitzpatrick stormed into a one-shot lead, firing a seven-under-par 64 in the latest impressive display of his fledgling PGA Tour career.
Fitzpatrick drained eight birdies and one bogey to finish the third round on 14-under, one shot clear of fellow rookie Kristoffer Reitan of Norway, who also shot a 64.
Fitzpatrick only earned his PGA Tour card after partnering elder brother Matt to victory at the Zurich Classic pairs tournament a fortnight ago, and followed that up with a respectable top-10 finish at the Cadillac Championship in Florida last week.
Fitzpatrick, who played Quail Hollow regularly while at college at nearby Wake Forest University, admitted he was excited by the possibility of claiming a first solo PGA title in only his third start on tour.
Leader: Alex Fitzpatrick. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
“It will be super cool, I get goosebumps kind of thinking about it,” Fitzpatrick said. “It would be amazing to do it by myself.
“The first two weeks have been okay, so I’m pretty pleased. I’m just trying to enjoy every moment. This is all new for me.”
The 27-year-old from Sheffield thrust himself into contention on Saturday with an electrifying birdie spree on the front nine, picking up five birdies to move to 12-under and two shots clear at the turn.
Fitzpatrick kept it rolling down the stretch, picking up a birdie on the 12th and just missing an 11-foot birdie putt on 14 that curled around the cup before lipping out.
– Young lurking –
He narrowly missed a putt for eagle at the 15th, but tapped in for birdie to remain in control.
There was a slight stumble on the the 16th, when he could only bogey after driving his second shot into a greenside bunker, but he responded instantly with a bogey on the 17th to edge clear of Reitan again.
Fitzpatrick can expect a stiff challenge in Sunday’s final round, however, with a crowded field of contenders lurking.
While Reitan is one behind, in-form Cameron Young signalled he is ready to make a charge on Sunday after posting a sensational eight-under par 63 that might have been better had it not been for a bogey on the 18th.
Young, who won last week’s Cadillac Championship at Doral after tying for third at the Masters last month and winning The Players Championship in March, rattled in seven birdies and an eagle to finish two off the lead on 12-under.
– © AFP 2026
With reporting from Sinead Farrell