Rickie Fowler three strokes adrift of Sung Kang at Houston Open
Sunday 2 April 2017 21:15, UK
Sung Kang will take a three-shot advantage in to the final round of the Houston Open, as Rickie Fowler stuttered along the closing stretch for the second day running.
Kang posted a one-under 71 to maintain his overnight lead over Fowler, who sat joint-top of the leaderboard until dropping three strokes over his final two holes.
Fowler started the day seven strokes off the pace but surged up the leaderboard with birdies from his first 14 holes, only to then bogey the 17th and four-putt the last from 50 feet to close a five-under 67.
Heading into the weekend with a six-shot cushion, Kang almost holed out from the first fairway to leave a tap-in birdie and rolled in an eight-foot gain at the fourth.
The Korean failed to get up-and-down to save par from a bunker at the fifth and three-putted the seventh, where Fowler drained a 50-footer on his way to reaching the turn in 31.
Kang - who would secure a late invite to the Masters with victory this week - holed a 20-foot birdie at the 11th but lost his outright lead when Fowler racked up three consecutive gains from the 12th.
The pair remained tied with two holes to play when Kang cancelled out his birdie at the 15th with a lip-out from six feet at the next, only for Fowler to miss his eight-footer to save par at 17 and post a six at the par-four last.
"I'm trying to look at the bright side and be as positive as possible," Fowler told Sky Sports. "I'm happy with the run that we made, but it wasn't the way I wanted to finish."
Russell Henley sits four shots off the pace in third spot after finishing his third-round 69 with back-to-back birdies, with Luke List firing a round-of-the-day 65 to get to 12 under.
Six birdies in a seven-hole stretch around the turn lifted Rafael Campos in to a share of fifth alongside American duo Daniel Berger and Kyle Stanley, with Aaron Baddeley and Hudson Swafford a further shot back.
Andy Sullivan birdied four of his opening six holes on his way to a five-under 67 to get inside the top-20, with Justin Rose also on five under following an up-and-down 73.
WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play runner-up Jon Rahm lies a further stroke back thanks to a three-under 69, while Phil Mickelson slipped over par for the tournament following a three-putt double-bogey from eight feet on his final hole.
Watch the final round of the Shell Houston Open live on Sunday from 3.30pm on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf
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