Pratt in contention at Southern Am
BY Anthony Powter | US Mens Amateur Tour | 2010 Southern Amateur Championship | Round Three | 17 Jul 2010
Kieran Pratt fired a third round 71 to be three from the leaders heading into the final round at the Southern Amateur Championship being played at Shoal Creek Golf Club in Alabama.
Pratt has posted rounds of 71-66-71 to be at 8-under-par and within striking distance of the three-way leaders, Patrick Cantlay, Blayne Barber and Bud Cauley who are at 11-under-par. They are one clear of Cheng-Tsung Pan, who has shot 65-70-71 to be at 10-under-par.
Yesterday, Pratt came out of the blocks firing today with an opening nine of 5-under-par, 31, and completed his 6-under-par round with a total of five birdies and an eagle. The two-time national trial winner this season back in Australia move twenty places on the field from his overnight tied 24th position following the opening round.
Pratt found today’s third round a little tougher, however, the world number 19 and Australia’s number 2 ranked player remains comfortable as to where he’s positioned heading into the final round.
“I had an up and down round today,” said Pratt.
“I got off to a nice start, was 2-under through seven and felt the momentum was there and another low round was in the making. A couple of three putts through the middle of the round then halted my momentum and I ended up with a 1-under-par,71.”
Since arriving in the US this season Pratt has experienced mixed results with a tied 36th finish last week at the Players Amateur and a tied 29th at the Dogwood Invitational. This tournament at the Southern Amateur is shaping up nicely and Pratt knows his game is there and that he only needs to minimise errors on the course.
“I’m making plenty of birdies out there,” says Pratt.
“I just need to keep the bogeys off the card and I should hopefully be in with a chance tomorrow.”
Ryan McCarthy was another third round mover with a 3-under-par 69, to be 7-under-par after opening rounds of 72-68 and four behind the leaders. McCarthy’s game has been strong all week and the Tasmanian is coming off a tied 13th finish at the Dogwood and a top-25 at the Players Amateur.
“I’m playing solid golf with an aggressive game plan,” says McCarthy.
“That will be my strategy tomorrow, especially being only four back from the leaders. My Pitching has been my strength throughout the event. In today’s round I managed two chip-ins and I’m feeling extremely comfortable over the ball. The greens extremely soft as they have to continuously water them between groups due to the heat, so that makes for target shooting when you have the opportunity.”
Jordan Sherratt fired rounds of 72-69-70 to be at 4-under-par heading into tomorrow’s final round. Sherratt is due for a low round and continues to exhibit the form that won him the Master of the Amateurs in January in a play-off over Bud Cauley, who’s second round 64 is the low score of the tournament so far.
In recent years the best result at the Southern Amateur for an Australian was Tarquin MacManus at last year’s tournament where the University of Arizona sophomore equalled the final day’s low round with a 5-under-par 67, after earlier rounds of 70-68-71 to finish at 12-under-par and four strokes behind eventual winner, American Gregor Main, who won the tournament at 16-under-par.
