"Joel Dahmen holds 3-stroke lead at Corales Puntacana heading into last round"
Joel Dahmen, who has been in the lead since the first round, carded a 1-under-par 71 on a blustery Saturday and will carry a three-shot advantage into the final round of the Corales Puntacana Championship in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Dahmen made bogeys on two of his first five holes and added another on his way to his most challenging round of the weekend, but managed to finish with four birdies and sits at 17-under 199.
\"It was definitely a test,\" Dahmen said. \"It's always tough to tee off with a big lead. I feel like I hit some solid shots early on that didn't end up in a favorable spot. Then I messed up all the easy stuff early, so it's really frustrating.\"
Chan Kim (69 on Saturday), Michael Thorbjornsen (70), and South Africa's Garrick Higgo (70) are all three shots behind at 14-under 202.
Kim bogeyed the par-5 third hole, but quickly bounced back with an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole and added two birdies to stay within striking distance.
\"On the fourth, I hit a really good drive and then a 7-iron that, you know, at that point because of the strong tailwind, we're just aiming for the back edge. Then the chip will be back into the wind,\" Kim said. \"Somehow I managed to stop it nicely and read the putt really well. So it was a pleasant surprise when we got up there.\"
Thorbjornsen started his round with three birdies in his first four holes, but stumbled with double bogeys on the par-4 fifth and eighth holes. He turned things around on the back nine, recording three more birdies.
\"It was very challenging,\" Thorbjornsen said. \"I got off to a really hot start, 3 under through four. But nothing is guaranteed or given out here. I made two doubles after that, but even though I was 3 under through four, I knew it was going to be tough throughout the entire day.\"
With the lowest round of the day at 66, Vince Whaley moved up 17 spots and is now tied for fifth with Ben Martin (67) and Germany's Jeremy Paul (67). Whaley overcame a bogey on the par-5 fourth hole with seven birdies, including three out of four holes on the front nine as he looks for his first PGA Tour victory.
\"I think all the guys are so talented,\" Whaley said. \"I know this is an opposite field event or whatever, but everyone is so good that you have to go out there and still attack. Tomorrow is going to be even windier, but there's no slowing down, you have to keep going and see how low you can go.\"
