NORTON, Mass. — For all that went wrong for Bubba Watson on the back nine Sunday, at least he still had the lead at the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Right when he was starting to pull away in the third round at the TPC Boston, Watson lost control off the tee and made three bogeys in a five-hole stretch, then failed to get up-and-down for birdie from just behind the par-5 18th green. He still managed a 1-under 70 to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the second FedEx Cup playoff event.
Adam Scott (71), Jason Day (67), Brendan Steele (67), Chez Reavie (68) and Jerry Kelly (68) were tied for second. Luke Donald (68), the No. 1 player in the world, and Jim Furyk (66) were two strokes back along with Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (72), Gary Woodland (66) and Webb Simpson (67).
Phil Mickelson even has a chance. He holed out a 7-iron from the rough on the 12th hole for eagle on his way to a 63, and wound up among two dozen players separated by four shots with 18 holes remaining.
European Masters
CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland — Thomas Bjorn won the European Masters for his second victory in two weeks, closing with a 9-under 62 for a four-stroke victory.
The 40-year-old Dane had an eagle and nine birdies to finish at 20-under 264. He won the Johnnie Walker Championship last week in a playoff at Gleneagles in Scotland and also won the Qatar Masters in February
Germany’s Martin Kaymer had a 65 to finish second.
U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy (68) was third at 15 under along with South Africa’s Jaco van Zyl (64) and Wales’ Jamie Donaldson (70).
Mylan Classic
CANONSBURG, Pa. — England’s Gary Christian won the Nationwide Tour’s Mylan Classic on Sunday, shooting a 4-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over John Mallinger.
The 40-year-old Christain earned $108,000 to jump from 27th to fourth on the money list with $230,040. The top 25 at the end of the season will earn 2012 PGA Tour cards.
“I’m biting my lip a little bit and I might be struggling. I’m not usually at a loss for words, but this might be one of those rare occasions,” Christian said. “It’s like a dream come true.”
Christian, a former Auburn player, finished at 17-under 267 on the Southpointe course.
“I think it was meant to be this week,” said Christian, also the winner of the tour’s 2009 Northeast Pennsylvania Classic. “Walking down the fairway today I was thinking it’s just my time.”
Mallinger closed with a 68. Craig Bowden (66) and Scott Brown (67) tied for third at 15 under.
India’s Rahil Gangjee became the third player in Nationwide Tour history to make a hole-in-one on a par 4. He used a driver to ace the 316-yard 15th, and finished with a 70 to tie for 32nd at 6 under.
“I was just trying to get it on the green, that was it. When it’s a driveable hole, you think you can get it close and maybe make eagle, but a hole-in-one, nobody thinks about that,” Gangjee said.