Rod Perry stays patient, climbs to lead at PGA Stroke Play Champ'ship

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Rod Perry of Port Orange, Florida, didn’t let a 65-minute rain delay stall his charge Thursday, collecting four back-nine birdies on the way to a 5-under-par 67 and a two-stroke lead in the 62nd PGA Stroke Play Championship presented by Premier Golf and GOLF ADVISOR. 

 

Perry, the 2013 PGA Professional National Champion and PGA Head Professional at Crane Lakes Golf & Country Club in Port Orange, owns a 54-hole total of 12-under-par 204 heading into Friday’s final round at PGA Golf Club’s Ryder Course. Perry is bidding to win a second PGA Stroke Play Championship and first since 2007. 

 

Patrick Steffes of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who turned in a flawless 65, is two strokes behind at 206. Four-time PGA Stroke Play Champion Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio (71) and Patrick Rada of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, (67) are four strokes back. Second-round co-leader Ben Polland of Manhasset, New York, struggled to a 73 to fall six strokes off the pace.

 

The field took advantage of preferred lies on a soggy Ryder Course. Perry had six birdies and a bogey, and closed his round before dusk by rolling home a six-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.

 

“We had a little bit of everything today,” said Perry. “We played in heavy wind, and then had nice conditions for five holes, and then heavy rain for two holes, then cool, damp weather the last six. The greens held up beautifully, and an army of guys came out to squeegee the greens. Great service by the club.

 

“It was tough playing with two great guys (Sowards and Polland) the past two days. You have to shoot well to keep up.” 

 

Steffes, 26, is a PGA Assistant Professional at Milwaukee Country Club, and was coasting to a solid, bogey-free round before the horn sounded, suspending play. That left him in the fairway on the demanding 450-yard, par-4 15th hole. He had 200 yards left to reach the green. 

 

“I was out there thinking about that shot and how I needed to put a good swing on it once play resumed. Which meant I had no warmup,” said Steffes. “I managed to make a good four there and that was big.      

 

“Making seven birdies and no bogeys, while playing in the conditions we had and against the field we had, it was one of my best rounds.” 

 

The 16th Women’s PGA Stroke Play Championship concluded Thursday at PGA Golf Club, with Sue Ginter of Jupiter, Florida, firing a 68 for a four-stroke victory.

 

The PGA Winter Championships conclude Feb. 10-13, with the 52nd PGA Match Play Championship on the Dye Course.

 

2015 PGA Winter Championships

62nd PGA Stroke Play Championship 

presented by Premier Golf and GOLF ADVISOR

Third Round

PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Ryder Course:  6,963 yards, Par-72

 

Rod Perry 68-69-67–-204

Patrick Steffes 71-70-65–-206

Patrick Rada 74-67-67–-208

Bob Sowards 71-66-71–-208

Kyle Baehler 69-71-70–-210

Jeff Sorenson 68-71-71–-210

Rich Berberian 69-70-71–-210

Ben Polland 71-66-73–-210

Wyatt Worthington 72-72-67–-211

Mark Brown 72-72-67–-211

Adam Rainaud 72-69-70–-211

Charles Raulerson 72-72-68–-212

Jason Martin 68-72-72–-212

Scott Berliner 73-73-67–-213

Brett Melton 72-72-69–-213

Kirk Stauffer 70-71-72–-213

Christopher Marinaro 74-72-68–-214

Jake Pleczkowski 72-72-70–-214

Kirk Hanefeld 71-73-70–-214

Jerry Tucker 71-73-70–-214

Brian Cairns 70-72-72–-214

Rick Schuller 71-71-72–-214

Billy Anderson 70-75-70–-215

Joshua Rackley 76-69-70–-215

Charles Meola 69-74-72–-215

Matthew Sita 74-72-70–-216

Liam Friedman 68-78-70–-216

Frank Bensel 73-73-70–-216

Dwayne Randall 72-72-72–-216

Roy Vucinich 76-67-73–-216

Jeffrey Martin 74-69-73–-216

Shawn Warren 72-75-70–-217

Sonny Skinner 72-75-70–-217

JC Anderson 72-76-69–-217

Ryan Kalista 79-70-68–-217

Shaun Powers 75-71-72–-218

Rob Corcoran 74-71-73–-218

Ben Stewart 74-69-75–-218

Mike Thomas 72-75-72–-219

Keith Grassing 74-72-73–-219

Colin Amaral 74-72-73–-219

Matt Noel 76-72-71–-219

Mitchell Camp 76-69-75–-220

Jaysen Hansen 80-70-70–-220

Matthew McAdow 74-77-70–-221

Nick Frontero 72-76-74–-222

Steve Barber 75-73-74–-222

Anthony Aruta 73-76-73–-222

Nicholas Beddow 78-73-71–-222

Frank Dully 76-70-77–-223

Bobby Heins 76-73-74–-223

Remington Post 76-73-74–-223

Mark Faulkner 72-77-74–-223

David Allan 77-73-73–-223

Grant Sturgeon 75-76-72–-223

David Quinn 74-77-72–-223

Michael Zaremba 76-74-74–-224

Michael O'Connor 79-72-73–-224

Pete Catanzaro 75-76-73–-224

Larry Emery 77-74-73–-224

John Kerins 77-72-76–-225

Joseph Moore 73-77-75–-225

Bob Dolan 77-74-74–-225

Kyle Higgins 75-74-77–-226

Bill Sautter 72-77-77–-226

Mark Anderson 75-75-76–-226

Devin Gee 75-76-75–-226

Jamie Puterbaugh 78-73-77–-228

Andy Santor 78-73-79–-230

Kevin Savage 75-76-81–-232