Date: June 03, 2007
Author:

Rod rockets to top

Three birdies in a barnstorming five-hole finish shot Australian Rod Pampling to the top of the leaderboard after the third round of the Memorial Tournament. Pampling drained a 40-foot birdie putt on the 14th and made birdies on 15 and 18 in his round of four-under 68. The Australian sits three shots clear at 15-under with compatriot Adam Scott (72) and American Sean O&aposHair (69) the nearest challengers. Aaron Baddeley (71) is a further stroke back while Geoff Ogilvy (69) and Nick O&aposHern are also in the hunt. It shapes as a good tournament for the Australians, but not so for world No. 1 Tiger Woods who made just one birdie and sits 10 shots adrift of Pampling. The third round was delayed two hours when lightning-filled storms moved into the area, although the course didn&apost get much rain. Pampling, whose last PGA Tour victory came in Arnold Palmer&aposs tournament at Bay Hill last year, overcame some early difficulties to take a stranglehold of the event. “Once I made that bogey (on the fifth hole), things totally changed,” Pampling said. “I said to my caddie, &aposWhy am I being so conservative out here? Let&aposs be more aggressive.&apos” Scott started the day in front, but failed to capitalise on moving day. “I didn&apost really ever get it going today,” Scott said. “I struggled with the pace on the greens. I just didn&apost get any momentum going.” However, Pampling predicted Scott and the talent-packed contenders to make it tough on day four. “This is one of those weeks where there&aposs potential for someone to come from a long way back,” Pampling said. “That&aposs as long as I don&apost make any birdies.” Results from round one of the Memorial Tournament, Ohio: -15: Rod Pampling (Australia) 65 68 68 -12: Sean O&aposHair (Australia) 65 70 69, Adam Scott 70 62 72 -11: Will MacKenzie 67 73 65, Stewart Cink 69 71 65, Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 66 68 71. -10: Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 70 67 69, K. J. Choi 69 70 67, Frederik Jacobson 68 68 70, Ryan Moore 66 69 71. -9: Bubba Watson 66 68 73. -8: Tim Herron 66 73 69, Nick O&aposHern (Australia) 65 74 69. also: -2: Nathan Green (Australia) 73 70 71 -1: Stuart Appleby (Australia) 70 74 71, Mark Hensby (Australia) 71 71 73. E: John Senden (Australia) 71 72 73