VANCOUVER, July 23, 2011 (AFP) - Bo Van Pelt, who is gunning for his second career USPGA Tour title, fired a five-under 65 for a one-shot lead over hometown favourite Adam Hadwin after the third round of the Canadian Open.
American Van Pelt birdied four of his final five holes at the $5.2 million event to reach five-under 205 on the unforgiving Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club course.
Hadwin, who grew up just an hour's drive away from Vancouver in Abbotsford, shot a two-under 68 and is alone in second place at four-under 206.
"I felt if I could get one hot nine, I could get in contention," Van Pelt said.
Argentina's Andres Romero (67) and first-round leader Kris Blanks (69) shared third at three-under 207 after another bruising day in the thick rough at the tree-lined Shaughnessy course.
American John Daly four-putted No. 18 for triple-bogey Friday but rebounded with a solid 67 Saturday. He was in a group of four at two-under with Sean O'Hair (66) and Australians Aron Price (69) and Geoff Ogilvy (70) as just 11 players are under par heading into Sunday's final round.
The 36-year-old Van Pelt finished with seven birdies and set the nine-hole record on the 7,010-yard course with a 29 on the back nine.
He closed with a superb approach followed by a five-foot birdie putt on the par-four 18th hole.
"You never know you are going to shoot 29," said Van Pelt, whose only tour victory came at the 2009 US Bank Championship in Milwaukee.
"You have to drive it in play. If you drive it in rough, you can't hit the green. I grew up on a tree-lined golf course with small greens, so from a visual standpoint, I like the looks of it."
Hadwin got into the tournament on a sponsor's exemption and he had a chance to be the co-leader with Van Pelt but missed a 12-foot birdie putt on his final hole.
The 23-year-old Hadwin is trying to become the first Canadian since Pat Fletcher 1954 to win the national championship.
"It's a very exciting feeling to have that many people behind you and cheering for you," Hadwin said. "If I keep doing what I'm doing they will have something to cheer for tomorrow."
Daly, a former British Open and US PGA champion, remains a fan favourite despite difficulties with his game and well-publicized battles with alcohol.
It was in Vancouver in 1998 that Daly began shaking and cried at the 15th hole during the first round of the Greater Vancouver Open.
This year, a slimmed-down Daly is playing on a sponsor's exemption.
Daly said the key Sunday will be hitting his driver well.
"You have to," said Daly. "If you lay up you can't get to the green on your approach shots. You've just got to attack."
Organizers said they are stepping up security around the Shaughnessy golf club after someone poured bleach on the eighth green prior to the third round. Play was not affected by the vandalism, which was discovered by grounds crews on Saturday morning.
Leading third-round scores here on Saturday in the $5.2 million Canadian Open (USA unless noted):
205 - Bo Van Pelt 68-72-65
206 - Adam Hadwin (CAN) 72-66-68
207 - Andres Romero (ARG) 72-68-67, Kris Blanks 67-71
208 - Sean O'Hair 69-73-66, John Daly 70-71-67, Aron Price (AUS) 68-71-69, Geoff Ogilvy (AUS) 70-68-70
209 - Bud Cauley 69-72-68, Ryan Moore 73-69-67, David Mathis 71-69-69
210 - Scott Piercy 70-70-70, Keegan Bradley 70-70-70, Jerry Kelly 71-67-72, Chad Campbell 69-67-74, Michael Thompson 70-66-74
...
211 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 71-67-73
212 - David Hearn (CAN) 70-68-74
214 - Greg Chalmers (AUS) 72-70-72, Charlie Wi (KOR) 73-70-71, Jarrod Lyle (AUS) 72-67-75
215 - Matt McQuillan (CAN) 68-73-74, Luke Donald (GBR) 70-73-72
216 - Ernie Els (RSA) 68-74-74, Kim Bi-o (KOR) 75-67-74, Peter Lonard (AUS) 73-70-73, Alexandre Rocha (BRA) 76-68-72
220 - Dustin Risdon (CAN) 75-69-76
221 - Brad Fritsch (CAN) 71-70-80
222 - Nathan Green (AUS) 70-74-78
223 - Fabian Gomez (ARG) 73-71-79