Flinton, Hebert and Skinner share lead after 54 holes
Now, he's got company at the top.
The 42-year-old PGA head professional from Oklahoma City posted his second consecutive 3-under-par 69 Saturday in the 41st PGA Professional National Championship, moving into a three-way tie for the lead with Sonny Skinner of Sylvester, Ga., and Scott Hebert of Traverse City, Mich., who each birdied the 18th hole.
The trio share the third-round lead at 8-under-par 208, with eight others within four strokes of the lead in the $550,000 showcase event for PGA Professionals at the 7,043-yard Great Waters layout.
Skinner knocked home a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a 69, while Hebert lagged a 25-foot downhill eagle putt to within two inches before tapping in for a 70.
Flinton was a dominating force in winning the TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Assistant Professional National Championship in 2000, '02 and '05 by a combined 19 strokes. He exuded the confidence expected of a veteran after his round.
"To me it's just first tee ball tomorrow morning, get it on the fairway and go from there. I really, really enjoy the competition," said Flinton, the PGA head professional at Quail Creek Golf & Country Club in Oklahoma City. "It's tough putting in 65 to 70 hours a week in a golf shop and coming out here and finding your 'A' game, but so far for 54 holes I've found it. Even-keel wise it's been fairway, green, get the putter in my hands. I've lived by that."
Hebert, the 39-year-old PGA head professional at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme, Mich., had three birdies and a bogey to keep pace for the lead.
"I've got to find a way to putt better if I'm going to win tomorrow," said Hebert, who tied for 13th last year in his debut. "I'm striping it as good as I ever have. And, maybe some putts will fall."
Skinner, the 47-year-old PGA director of golf at River Pointe Golf Club in Albany, Ga., who missed the cut last year, needed only 28 putts for the second straight day to make an impact.
"I'd much rather be at 18-under, but you know it feels good to make some good shots and some good putts," he said. "These guys are all kind of bunched up. None of us are that much better. I'm a little apprehensive about tomorrow."
They are two strokes ahead of Jeffrey Martin of Warwick, R.I., who closed with a 70, while Colin Amaral of White Plains, N.Y., Don Yrene of Scottsdale, Ariz., Brad Martin of Portland, Ore., and Kevin Dugas of Brewster, Mass., share fifth at 211.
Two-time national champion Tim Thelen of College Station, Texas, and Lonny Alexander of New Braunfels, Texas, and Tim Weinhart of Alpharetta, Ga., are next at 212.
After a stream of steady morning showers Saturday morning, the sun broke out at Great Waters, leaving 18 soft greens.
It was the prescription for better scoring.
Amaral of Danbury, Conn., and Yrene of Scottsdale, Ariz., shared the day's low round of 66, to help set the stage for a special Sunday.
Amaral, whose best performance in four previous starts was a tie for 43rd in 2004, posted a six-birdie, bogey-free round.
"Today I was just fortunate enough to make more putts," said Amaral, a 35-year-old PGA assistant professional at Metropolis Country Club in White Plains, N.Y. "I straightened out a few things on the putting green with my stroke and rolled it a little bit better yesterday. I just didn't hit a lot of close shots and today I hit a few close ones and made some longer putts. It was a pretty easy 66, I thought. I didn't miss too many greens and when I missed it I missed it in the right spots and I got a couple good breaks out there.
"I like my chances. I just kind of go with it. I really don't have any idea of where I stand when I'm playing; I'm just so into each shot. If I can play well and keep making some putts, that's the key for me. I'm a pretty good driver of the golf ball and that's my strength."
Yrene, the 41-year-old PGA head professional at The Golf Club in Scottsdale, opened his day with a bogey, then caught fire with a chip-in birdie on the par-5 sixth hole. He then added six more birdies, including a streak from the 13th through 16th holes. He needed only 26 putts.
"It was tough playing in the rain, and we were in the rain for seven holes today," said Yrene, a member of the 2007 U.S. PGA Cup Team that defeated Great Britain & Ireland last September at the nearby Oconee Course. "I was busy struggling with my swing, but fond a swing key before I started. And, I putted really well today. The greens just fit me. What really helped us was that the greens were soft."
The low 20 scorers earn berths into the 90th PGA Championship, August, 7-10, 2008, at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich.
In addition to the Walter Hagen Cup, the PGA Professional National Championship winner also receives an exemption into the next five PGA Professional National Championships, a spot on the 2009 PGA Cup Team and exemptions into six PGA Tour events over a 12-month period.
Established in 1968, The PGA Professional National Championship roster of Champions includes past and present Tour professionals: Sam Snead, Bob Rosburg, Don Massengale, Ed Dougherty, Larry Gilbert and Bruce Fleisher.
The PGA Professional National Championship is presented by Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra; Buick and Club Car. Golf Channel is an exclusive media partner, and the PGA Tour is the Supporting Sponsor of PGA of America Member Championships. The 41 Section Championships and the National Championship offer a combined purse of $1.5 million.
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