RALEIGH – Three players sit atop the leaderboard heading into the final round of the Rex Hospital Open.
Martin Flores, Ryan Armour and Troy Kelly finished the third round Saturday at 12-under for the Nationwide Tour event at TPC Wakefield.
“The leaderboard is bunched,” said Flores, who shot a 3-under 68 Saturday. “You have to make as many birdies as possible. They’re out there, and there are so many good players.”
There are 10 players within four shots of the leaders.
Heading into the final hole in the last group Saturday, Flores held a one-shot lead. But he bogeyed the hole, falling into a three-way tie with Kelly and Armour.
“I hit a poor approach shot,” said Flores, who also bogeyed the 18th Friday. “I did the same thing (Friday). I got what I deserved.
“But I did a lot of good things today, which I think is important. I’ve been putting well this week.”
Flores had a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 2 and a 40-foot eagle putt on the fourth hole Saturday. But two bogeys on the back nine left him tied for the lead.
Kelly, No. 8 on the Nationwide Tour money list, moved into contention Saturday with a scorching 8-under 63, one off the TPC Wakefield course record.
Armour, who was disqualified from this event last year for signing an incorrect scorecard, shot a 4-under 67 Saturday.
The winner of the Rex Hospital Open will get $99,000 of the $550,000 tournament purse. And the Top 25 money winners at the end of the Nationwide Tour season will earn PGA Tour cards for the following season.
Raleigh native Ty Tryon followed up a career-low 64 Friday with a 1-over 72 on Saturday, leaving him at 2-under for the tournament and 10 shots behind the leaders. With eight birdies and a bogey, Tryon was two shots off the course record in his second round.
“It just felt easy – I drove it good; my approaches were good; and I putted good,” Tryon said. “And then, (Saturday) started off good.”
After posting a birdie on No. 3, Tryon had a 5-foot putt for another birdie to go to 5-under for the tournament. But he lipped out, and then he three-putted the next hole and hit into the woods on the following hole.
“Those misses hurt me,” Tryon said. “I missed a couple I shouldn’t have.”
Tryon was born in Rex Hospital 27 years ago on June 2, and he’s playing here this week under a sponsor’s exemption. Tryon played on the PGA Tour as a teenager, but struggled after his first full season. Now, he’s on the comeback trail.
He qualified Monday for the U.S. Open next week at the Congressional in Maryland. So, he said he believes he’s playing well right now.
“I think I’m in a position to go out and shoot low scores,” said Tryon, who is looking for a Top 25 finish. “But I’ve got to eliminate mistakes and the uncharacteristically bad shots.
“Obviously, you want to contend, but I just want to go out and play well and be confident.”
Although he said he’s thrilled to be in the U.S. Open field next week, his sole focus now is on the final round of the Rex Hospital Open.
“I want to play the way I know I can, post a good number and maybe move up the leaderboard a bit,” he said.
J. Eric Eckard writes about all things golf on his second golfer blog. You also can follow him on Twitter.
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