Stricker seeking thirs straight at Deere
Two-time defending champion Steve Stricker birdied his first two holes in round three and converted a 15-foot par putt on 18 en route to a third-round, 8-under 63. He leads Brendon de Jonge by two strokes.The biggest previous 54-hole lead in a TOUR event in 2011 was also held by Stricker. After the third round of the Memorial, he led by three strokes.
Stricker has previously held at least a share of the 54-hole lead 12 times, half of which he has parlayed into victory. Most recently, he led by three over 2007 John Deere Classic champion Jonathan Byrd at this year’s Memorial Tournament and won by a stroke.
Stricker is looking for his third straight multiple-win season on TOUR. He is currently the only golfer to have multiple wins in both 2009 and 2010.
Since 2000 only four players have won multiple events in three (or more) consecutive seasons:
Tigers Woods: 2005-2009/5 and 1999-2003/5
Phil Mickelson: 2000-2002/3 and 2004-2009/6
Ernie Els: 2002-2004/3
Vijay Singh: 2002-2005/4
Below are Stricker’s birdies, pars and bogeys at TPC Deere Run since 2009:
Year Eagles Birdies Par Bogey Final Score
2009 2 20 46 4 -20
2010 0 31 36 5 -26
2011 (after R3) 0 19 33 1 -20 (current)
A win this week would move Stricker into second in the FedExCup standings behind Nick Watney.
With 10 career TOUR wins to his credit, if Stricker were to win this week, he would join a list of 10 players who’ve won 11 times. The others: Andy Bean, Frank Beard, John Cook, Al Geiberger, Bob Goalby, Scott Hoch, Wayne Levi, Bobby Nichols, Victor Ghezzi and Tony Lema.
The third-round leader/co-lead has only won 15 of 27 events on TOUR this season, most recently achieved by Nick Watney at last week’s AT&T National.
Stricker is trying to become just the 10th different player to win a PGA TOUR event three straight years since World War II. Here is a look at those with three or more:
4 Tom Morris, Jr., British Open, 1868-70 (no event 1871), 1872
Walter Hagen, PGA Championship, 1924-1927
Gene Sarazen, Miami Open, 1926 (schedule change), 1928-1930;
Tiger Woods, Bay Hill Invitational, 2000-2003
Tiger Woods Buick Invitational, 2005-2008
3 Jamie Anderson, British Open, 1877-1879
Robert Ferguson, British Open, 1880-1882
Willie Anderson, U.S. Open, 1903-1905
Walter Hagen, Metropolitan Open, 1916, 1919-1920 (no event held 1917-1918 due to World War I)
Gene Sarazen, Miami Beach Open, 1927-1929
Henry Picard, Tournament of the Gardens, 1935-37
Ralph Guldahl, Western Open, 1936-1938
Ben Hogan, Asheville Land of the Sky Open, 1940-1942
Gene Littler, Tournament of Champions, 1955-1957
Billy Casper, Portland Open, 1959-1961
Arnold Palmer, Texas Open, 1960-1962
Arnold Palmer, Phoenix Open, 1961-1963
Jack Nicklaus, Disney World Golf Classic, 1971-1973
Johnny Miller, Tucson Open, 1974-1976
Tom Watson, Byron Nelson Classic, 1978-1980
Tiger Woods, Memorial Tournament, 1999-2001
Tiger Woods, World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational, 1999-2001
Stuart Appleby, Mercedes Championships, 2004-06
Tiger Woods, World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, 2005-2007
Tiger Woods, World Golf Championships-CA Championship, 2005-2007
Brendon de Jonge (-18/2nd)
Following a stand-out year in 2010, highlighted by seven top-10 finishes, de Jonge is looking for his second top-10 finish of the season. In round three, he birdied five of his first nine holes, coupled with birdies at his last two to post an 8-under 63, tying his career PGA TOUR low round. He will enter the final round two strokes behind Stricker. His best career TOUR showings have been three third-place finishes.
de Jonge’s lone top-10 finish this season was a T5 at the Transitions Championship. He is making his fourth start at TPC Deere Run, with a T7 last year being his best finish.
Chez Reavie (-17/3rd)
Chez Reavie birdied four of his last six holes in round three to get within three of Steve Stricker’s lead headed into the final round.
Mark Wilson (-13/T5)
Despite a pair of double bogeys, Mark Wilson managed a 3-under 68 in round three to remain in the top-5 headed into Sunday’s final round.
Wilson is the only player in the field that can take over Nick Watney’s lead in the FedExCup standings. Wilson would need a win this week to take over Watney.
Wilson, who is No. 5 in the FedExCup standings, has missed the cut in his last two starts coming into the week, first at the U.S. Open and then at last week’s AT&T National.
Of eight previous starts at the John Deere Classic, Wilson has not had an ideal record. He has missed half of the cuts and has never finished better than T39.
Wilson, who won his first and third starts of the season; the Sony Open in Hawaii and Waste Management Phoenix Open, is making his ninth start at the John Deere Classic.
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