Pernice fires 66 to lead Buick Open golf

FE Team | Published: July 02, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

American Tom Pernice is in action in the 4.9 million dollar PGA Buick Open. —Internet Photo.

GRAND BLANC (United States), Jul 1 (AFP): American Tom Pernice's banner effort on the back nine vaulted him into the lead after Saturday's third round of the 4.9 million dollar PGA Buick Open.
After he eagled the par-five 13th, Pernice birdied the next four holes to finish six-under-par 66 and move to 13-under 204 at Warwick Hills Golf Club.
The late surge gave him a one-stroke lead over Jesper Parnevik, who started the round tied for 46th place, Brian Bateman and Scott Verplank.
Pernice doesn't plan on altering his game entering Sunday's final round.
"I can't do anything different," Pernice said. "For me, my game is driving the ball in the fairway, giving me some good opportunities with my irons, and your putter has to do the rest.
"The way I was going along, I never dreamed I would get to six under and I did." Parnevik, who has not won on the PGA Tour since the 2001 Honda Classic, got off to a fast start and kept making birdies, finishing at eight-under.
Parnevik birdied three of his first five holes and added consecutive birdies at Nos. 7 and 8. He sank four more in a six-hole stretch starting on the 11th before carding his only bogey of the day at No 17.
"It was a very easy 64, it felt like today," Parnevik said. "You cannot scramble yourself around this golf course and shoot 64. You have to hit every fairway or put yourself in position to make birdies."
Bateman, who is 204th on the money list in his sixth season on the PGA Tour, registered five birdies, but his second straight bogey on No 15 and his final one on No 18 cost him a chance at the lead.