David Lingmerth of Sweden didn’t have his best stuff in the third round of the Quicken Loans National, but at the end of the day he was in the same place.
Lingmerth, who opened with 65-65, stumbled to a 3-over-par 73 but clung to a one-stroke lead over Daniel Summerhays on a day when play was halted for an hour a half by rain in the middle of the round at TPC Potomac at Avenal in Potomac, Md.
“I haven’t had the wire-to-wire scenario in my career, but a lot of great players have won tournaments that way and I would like to do it as well,” said Lingmerth, who would like to emulate Jordan Spieth’s feat of leading after all four rounds last week at the Travelers Championship. “I’m kind of feeling like I’m up for the challenge.
“Just got off to a bit of a rough start (in round three). Missed a couple tee shots to the left, which is something I don’t usually do, and it kind of maybe got me a little unnerved I guess with the tee balls the rest of the day. I didn’t hit as many fairways as I usually do, and it’s tough to play from the rough out here.
“I didn’t make many putts from the outside let’s say, but I was pretty steady from 10 feet and in, so I managed to make a lot par putts that way and stay in the tournament.”
Lingmerth, whose only PGA Tour victory came in the 2015 Memorial Tournament but also captured the 2012 Neediest Kids Championship on the Web.com Tour at TPC Potomac, has a 54-hole score of 7-under 203.
Summerhays, who is seeking his first PGA Tour victory in his 189th start, posted a 70 that included one birdie and one bogey, while Spencer Levin of Elk Grove surged into contention with a 65 that included four birdies on the back nine and is two shots back in third.
Rookie Curtis Luck of Australia, who won the 2016 U.S. Amateur, carded a 67 and is another stroke behind in a tie for fourth with Sung Kang of South Korea, who had a 71, and Geoff Ogilvy of Australia, who did not make a birdie in his 74.
Kyle Stanley and Charles Howell III both totaled 67 and four down in a tie for seventh, while Martin Laird of Scotland finished at 69 and is another shot back in a tie for ninth with Andrew Loupe, who also had a 69, and Johnson Wagner, who came in at 71.
Ninth-ranked Rickie Fowler carded a 68 and is tied for 18th, while defending champion Billy Hurley III is tied for 60th after a 72.
