By MATT JORDAN
After shooting one of his best scores at the Sunnehanna Amateur Tournament for Champions during Thursday’s first round, Trip Kuehne calmly said it wasn’t anything spectacular, just a round of golf.
Maybe he can use that adjective now.
The Texan blazed through a windy, cool third round Saturday at the 53rd annual Amateur to card a 6-under par 64, good for a three-stroke lead heading into today’s final round.
Nearly keeping pace was Australian Jason Day, who notched five straight 3s on his card to begin the back nine – and 10 for the day – to finish with a 65. Day will start today’s fourth round at Sunnehanna Country Club at 3-under 207, three-strokes behind Kuehne.
Arnond Vongvanij, Jarred Texter, Webb Simpson and Chris Kirk are each a stroke under par at 209.
“It was all the start,” said Kuehne, who had a 75 during Friday’s second round. “(Friday) I was 5 over after five holes; today I was 4 under. That was where the difference in the round was. I really tried to concentrate hard on getting off to a good start, hit the balls on the fairway, knock them onto the green. And I was able to do that.”
Kuehne’s biggest strike was an eagle on No. 3, which played nearly 386 yards on Saturday. Kuehne’s drive caused players walking from the third green to the fourth tee to stop and stare, convinced that the shot may find the cup. It rolled just past and he putted in from 6 feet.
The streak continued on No. 9, where after hitting a 2 iron off the tee and off the fairway, his wedge shot came to rest within inches of the pin. Kuehne’s tap-in there gave him a 29 on the front 9, a course record according to tournament officials.
Kuehne used a sensational bunker shot on No. 10 to save par and drove the green on the 416-yard 13th. The exploits kept the gallery buzzing about the tournament record round of 63 held by four players, most recently Michael Sim during last year’s run to the title.
“I knocked a bunch close, made an eagle and putted extremely well,” said Kuehne, who just missed qualifying for next weekend’s U.S. Open at Winged Foot, which, like Sunnehanna, was designed by A.W. Tillinghast. “I just didn’t give myself any chances on the back nine. I was basically in the left rough on every hole and it was a struggle. It wasn’t easy, it was just try to get it in. I was able to do it thanks to some good putting.”
Kuehne followed his 29 on the front with an even-par 35 on the back.
Meanwhile, Day kept folks scrambling, playing two groups ahead of Kuehne. The Australian National Team member opened his back 9 by going par, eagle, birdie, birdie, par.
“I’m starting to get a feel for the course,” Day said. “At the start, my feel wasn’t quite there on the greens. I was hitting a few putts past the hole. Now I feel a little more at home on the course. We had pretty gusty conditions (Friday), and it was pretty similar today, but it was a bit colder. You have to stick to your game plan like everyone else does and I just gutted it out and made a few putts coming in.”
Lost in the shuffle of the rounds turned in by Kuehne and Day was Texter, who started the day with a share of the lead and registered a hole-in-one on No. 7.
Texter hit a solid 6-iron on the downhill, 241-yard par 3. The tee shot landed short, then raced up to the cup and disappeared.
“It was hit solid, and I knew if the wind left it alone, it could be good,” Texter said. “It got a good bounce and I think it hit the stick pretty hard, or else it would have gone by 6 or 8 feet.”
Ferndale’s Dan Thompson shot a 75, putting him 10 shots over par. Sean Brannan, Sunnehanna’s club champion carded a 77, leaving him at 13 over.
Fourth round play begins this morning at 8, as players will tee off on Nos. 1 and 10. The awards presentation is scheduled on the 18th green for 2 p.m.
Matt Jordan can be reached at 532-5080 or mjordan@tribdem.com.
