PGA Tour: Cantlay holds slim advantage at La Quinta, as KH Lee tumbles down leader board
- FedEx Cup champion’s four-under par 68 leaves him a shot ahead of the field going into the weekend
- South Korea’s KH Lee struggled to keep up falling from third to 24th on the leader board
Patrick Cantlay fired a four-under par 68 on Friday (US time) and will take a one-shot lead into the weekend at The American Express tournament in the California desert.
The reigning FedEx Cup champion had shared the overnight lead with rookie Lee Hodges, but was alone out in front after a round that featured six birdies and two bogeys on the Nicklaus Tournament course, one of three in use over the first three rounds of the event.
American Tom Hoge was a stroke back on 13-under after a bogey-free six-under par 66 on the Stadium Course, the toughest of the three.
South Korea’s KH Lee, who began the day in third, shot a one-under 71 at La Quinta in a round that included four birdies and three bogeys, and is nine-under for the tournament.
“I felt like it was really solid golf,” Cantlay said. “I didn’t get the most out of it I possibly could, but another solid day and two more of those I should be right there.”
Although his three-putt bogey at his penultimate hole, the eighth, was disappointing, Cantlay said he putted well all day.
“The greens were a little beat up and it was hard to make putts. But I rolled it really well and I rolled it how I wanted to, I just didn’t get any to go in,” he said.