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PHOENIX — Steven Alker pulled away from the pack Saturday with a 6-under 65, ending with a birdie that prolonged his result in 4 pictures going into the ultimate spherical of the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
Alker started the day tied with Marco Dawson, who could not sustain on the entrance 9 and fell out of rivalry on the again 9 at Phoenix Nation Membership.
Padraig Harrington was making an attempt to maintain tempo till he took a double bogey on the 14th gap, after which needed to scramble for bogey on the par-5 closing gap.
Alker was at 17-under 196, 4 pictures forward of Alex Cejka, who had a 68. Harrington and Thongchai Jaidee, who every had a 69, had been 5 behind.
Even with a giant lead, Alker believes the greens are so pure and the climate so good that somebody can nonetheless come from out of the pack.
“Nonetheless the mindset is there is a 63, 62 on the market, who is aware of?” he stated. “So I’ve simply obtained to maintain pedal to the metallic.”
He is achieved that notably effectively on the entrance 9, taking part in it in 14-under par over three rounds in contrast with simply 3 below on the again 9.
At stake for Alker is a $1 million payoff on Sunday – first prize is $528,000, among the many largest payoffs on the PGA Tour Champions, together with a $500,000 bonus for ending second within the Charles Schwab Cup factors race.
Steve Stricker way back clinched the Schwab Cup together with his six victories this yr, three of them majors. He did not play within the postseason and had deliberate to play in Phoenix till his father was hospitalized in Wisconsin.
Stricker stated his father was launched from the hospital on Saturday.
Harrington additionally has an opportunity to complete at No. 2, however his probabilities took a giant hit on the again 9 with three dropped pictures on two holes.
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