Burns leads by two in Athens
ATHENS, Ga. – Bob Burns surged to a two-stroke lead at the Athens Regional Foundation Classic with a bogey-free 67 on Saturday and is 12-under-par through three rounds. In pursuit are fellow Tour veterans Rich Barcelo and Patrick Sheehan at 10-under.“It’s been a long time, but I’ve been in this position before,” the Valencia, Calif. native said after the round. He last stepped into the winner’s circle at the 2002 Disney Golf Classic on the PGA Tour. He has also won twice on the Nationwide Tour in 1998 – both of which came after he held a share of the 54-hole lead. Burns has earned over $3.75 million on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour since 1991.
After missing the cut in his first three events of the season and shooting 74 in the Round 1 this week, Burns has played his last two rounds at a cumulative 14-under-par. “The difference is my putting – 100 percent. I’ve played decently this year but have been giving it all back on the greens,” he said.
In his first three events Burns has averaged 32 putts per round. So far in Athens he has had 27, 25 and 29 putts in Rounds 1-3. He has also not made a bogey since the 16th hole of the first round.
The Tournament is far from over, however, and no less than 13 players are within five shots of the lead. Last year Robert Damron fired a 6-under-par 66 in the final round to come from five strokes back and win on Sunday.
For the third consecutive day, Tournament officials implemented a local rule allowing players to lift, clean and replace their ball in closely-mown areas through the green (areas cut to fairway height or less). Players were grouped in twosomes starting on the first tee at 8:27 a.m. Play concluded at approximately 6:00 p.m.
A threat of rain on Sunday afternoon will push tee times up for tomorrow's final round. Players will go off in threesomes on the first and tenth tees beginning at 7:30 a.m. Expected completion time is approximately 2:15 p.m.
Third Round Notes
* Players with regional ties: Blake Adams - Eatonton, Ga., T9 (-7); Brendon Todd - University of Georgia, T9 (-7); Kevin Kisner – University of Georgia, T19 (-5).
* Brad Elder and Cameron Percy shot the low rounds of the day at 6-under-par 66.
* Justin Bolli withdrew before the start of the round due to illness.
* The course has gotten progressively easier over the three days of play with scoring averages of 73.1 in the first round, 72.5 in the second and 71.3 in the third.
* It was mostly sunny this morning with clouds building in the afternoon. High temperatures warmed to the mid-70s. Winds were out of the south at 6-12 mph. Showers and thunderstorms are expected on Sunday with the best chance for activity in the afternoon.
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