Adam Scott of Australia survived a fall into the “Bear Trap” to shoot 4-under-par 66 and was tied for the lead with Sergio Garcia of Spain heading to the final round of the Honda Classic on the Champion Course at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Scott held a three-stroke lead before hitting two balls into the water on the par-3 15th, first of the three-hole “Bear Trap,” to make a quadruple bogey-7 and allow playing partner Garcia to tie for the lead with a par.
However, the tables turned on the 17th, where Garcia failed to get up-and-down for par from a greenside bunker and Scott regained the lead with a nine-foot birdie putt. Sergio moved back into a tie by sinking a six-foot birdie putt on the last hole.
“I was just trying to hit a ball onto a dry spot (on No. 15) and it took me five shots to do it,” said Scott, who has won 11 times on the PGA Tour including the 2013 Masters. “I hit a good first putt and it didn’t go in, so it added up to 7.
“That’s what this course is all bout, especially around the ‘Bear Trap.’ But I played beautiful golf today. I’m playing great. I hit a bad first shot on 15, but hit some good shots when I had to and got back into it.
“Hopefully, I’ll be better (on the ‘Bear Trap’) tomorrow.”
Garcia, who has won eight times on the PGA Tour but not since the 2012 Wyndham Championship, collected five birdies in his 67 — including three in a row through No. 5.
The Spaniard has been in or near the lead since opening with a 65.
“It played tough today, but you have to decide how aggressive you want to be and commit to the shot,” said Garcia, who has won 28 times around the world in his career. “I didn’t hit that bad a shot on 17, but I got a bad bounce and had a very difficult bunker shot.
“But overall I’m happy with the way I played.”
Blayne Barber posted a 69 and was four shots back in solo third, while Justin Thomas started his 68 with three straight birdies and was another stroke behind in a tie for fourth with Rickie Fowler, who struggled to a 74 with no birdies after playing the first two rounds in a bogey-free 66-66.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland posted a 67 despite a double-bogey 6 on the sixth hole and was six shots down in a tie for sixth with 53-year-old Vijay Singh, who totaled 68, and Scott Brown, who came in at 70.
Luke List carded a 70 and was another stroke behind in a tie for ninth with John Senden of Australia, who wound up at 71.
Jimmy Walker, who started the final round one stroke behind Fowler in second, stumbled to a 79 and skidded to a tie for 32nd, while Phil Mickelson had a 70 and was tied for 43rd.
