South Africa’s Garrick Higgo shot a 5-under-par 67 on Saturday to expand his lead to two strokes after three rounds of the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss.
Higgo, now at 18-under 198, had shared the lead with three others after a first-round 65, then was alone atop the leaderboard by one stroke after his 66 on Friday at the Country Club of Jackson.
He needed one more stroke on Saturday, when he carded six birdies (at Nos. 1, 2, 9, 11, 14 and 15) to more than make up for his lone bogey of the day (and fourth of the tournament) at the par-5 No. 5.
“I’d say it was quite a good fight,” said Higgo, 26, who has missed time due to a torn hip labrum. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I mean, it’s never easy. Golf never really goes your way. I just stayed patient and tried to put good swings on it and tried to roll the ball as good as I can.”
The former UNLV standout earned his second PGA Tour victory earlier this year in mid-April at the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic. He was asked if having that win gives him the mindset on how to finish out a tournament with a victory.
“Yeah, I’ve obviously won in Europe a few times, too,” said Higgo, who notched his first PGA Tour win in June 2021 at the Palmetto Championship at Congaree. “Wherever you win, I don’t know, all of us love competing, so all of us (on Sunday) will go out and try our best. I’m going to play as if I’m behind (on Sunday) and be as aggressive as I can be and make as many birdies as I can.”
Steven Fisk and Danny Walker, two PGA Tour rookies seeking their first victory, are tied for second at 16-under 200. Fisk shot a bogey-free 65 with birdies at Nos. 3, 5, 8, 9, 11, 15 and 17. The 28-year-old’s best finish in 22 events is a tie for fourth at the Puerto Rico Open in March.
Walker, 30, has one top-10 finish in 21 events this year, a tie for sixth at The Players Championship in March. He had an adventurous third round for a 67, especially on the front nine when he went birdie-bogey-eagle at Nos. 3-4-5 and bogeyed Nos. 7 and 9 for an even-par 36. Walker was better (5 under) on the back nine despite a bogey at the par-3 No. 10, as he birdied Nos. 11, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 for a sizzling finish.
This is Walker’s first week with his new putter, and he couldn’t remember ever finishing a round with five consecutive birdies.
“Yeah, I’ve been making a lot of putts,” Walker said of his tournament so far. “I think going through a little adversity in the middle of the round, it helps knowing that my putting is strong where I don’t have to hit it super close, I don’t have to stuff it. I can just play a little more conservative and trust that I’m going to make some putts.”
Taylor Montgomery (69 on Saturday) is alone in fourth at 15 under, with fellow Americans Matt Kuchar (65), Frankie Capan III (68) and Vince Whaley (68) tied for fifth at 14 under.
Defending champion Kevin Yu of Taiwan is tied for 23rd at 10 under.
