Hamilton four clear

Rookie Todd Hamilton took advantage of Carl Pettersson’s collapse to open a four-shot lead after the third round of the Honda Classic.

An Illinois native who is playing with his first PGA Tour card, Hamilton played the first 10 holes in four under par to climb within two shots of Pettersson, the leader after the first two rounds.

“I was not overly nervous today,” said Hamilton, who won four times on the Japanese Tour last year.

“Although I am a rookie on the tour, I am 38 years old. I have played golf all over the world for probably 17, 18 years. I have been in this position before. Not on this stage, but in this position.”

Hamilton finished with a four-under-par 68 that moved him to 14-under 202. That was enough to give him a comfortable lead as Pettersson fell apart on the back nine after cruising through the first two-and-a-half rounds.

The 26-year-old Pettersson, a little-known Swede, played the final seven holes in six over with three bogeys and a disastrous five-putt for a triple-bogey on the par-four 16th.

In his second year on the tour, he dropped into a tie for third with Chris Riley, five strokes back.

Pettersson set a course record with a nine-under 63 in the first round, and then posted a four-under 68 in the second. He seemed in control after a birdie at the ninth to get to 15-under, but bogeys followed at the 12th and 14th.

“I felt like on the back nine, I played fairly well,” said Pettersson, who signed for a four-over 76 after making the turn at two under.

“If I could take away that five-putt, make that a two-putt, and it’s not a bad score. I’ve still got a chance. I just go out there tomorrow and see if I can repair what happened today.”

Another Swede, Fredrik Jacobson, moved into second after signing for a two-under 70 at the Country Club of Mirasol.

Davis Love III carded a three-under-par 69 to move into a tie for fifth with Aaron Baddeley and Tom Pernice Jr.