SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – K.J. Choi shot a 4-under 66 Saturday to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Sanford International.
Tied for the first-round lead with Darren Clarke after a 63, Choi had five birdies and bogey at Minnehaha Country Club to reach under 11. The 51-year-old South Korean player won eight times on the PGA Tour.
Paul Stankowski (63), Alex Cejka (64) and Rod Pampling (67) were second, and Steve Flesch (65) and Mario Itziani (67) were another stroke back.
Darren Clarke opened with a double bogey in a 70 that dropped him into a tie for seventh at 7 under with Retief Goosen (68), David McKenzie (65) and South Dakota native Tom Byrum (67).
John Daly is currently tied for 41st.
Due to expected high winds tomorrow, the final round will begin at 8:00 a.m. Gates will open at 7:00 a.m.
Hole-in-one warms up the day
The morning might have started off cool with golfers like Daly and Fred Couples wearing long-sleeve shirts. But by noon, long-sleeves had been taken off.
But for some more young viewers, like local superstar Little League Pitcher Gavin Wier, the day was exciting despite the brisk morning.
“We love to golf but we just don’t get to do it after baseball,” Wier’s father Ronnie said. The Wiers along with other members of the team were invited to the tournament. It was the Wiers’ first time attending.
As the day warmed up, excitement grew especially after a hole-in-one by Shaun Micheel on the 10th hole around noon.
Fans cheers and those who missed it were caught asking what happened.
“A hole-in-one but I don’t know who it was,” one excited woman told another walking down the path near the clubhouse.
Older viewers took the time to tell kids that they should admire the abundance of pro-golfers around them.
“You should be like these gentlemen when you grow up,” a grandfather told his grandson, who looked no older than 6, after Couples, Steve Stricker and Steve Flesch teed-offed at the 12th hole.
Stricker, U.S. Ryder Cup captain, was 7 under in his group. He’ll lead the United States against Europe next week at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.