Rose moves further clear in Travelers Championship

Justin Rose extended his lead at the Travelers Championship as he turned for home in his third round in Connecticut.

Rose, a first-time winner on the PGA Tour earlier this month at the Memorial Tournament, had led by four strokes from American Kevin Sutherland after 36 holes at TPC River Highlands near Hartford, and midway through his third round the Englishman’s lead had stretched to five.

Rose, 29, had just one bogey through his opening rounds of 64 and an eight-under-par 62 that was just one stroke off the course record.

Today he added two more birdies on his front nine to turn at 16 under for the tournament and head towards a back nine that had delivered consecutive five-birdie runs in those two previous rounds.

Rose’s nearest rival was American Ben Curtis, four under for his round after 13 holes at 11 under, while Ricky Barnes, also of the United States, posted a 64 to reach the clubhouse in 10 under with compatriots Vaughn Taylor and Scott McCarron on the same mark with six and four holes remaining respectively.

Sutherland had dropped a shot after nine holes to fall back to nine under, alongside Bubba Watson, two under for the day after 13, and Australian Matt Jones, one under after 12, with Retief Goosen of South Africa in the clubhouse there following a 64 of his own.

Sweden’s Carl Petterson had a 67 that put him in a large group at eight under while US Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin hit trouble for the first time this week after rounds of 65 and 66. Pavin was two over for the day after 11 holes and back to seven under par for the tournament.

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington was among those at six under par following a third-round 69 that featured three birdies, a bogey and a double bogey at the par-four 12th.

Defending champion Kenny Perry bogeyed his first two holes and carded three more before birdies at the 16th and 18th left him with a three-over-par 73, at level par after 54 holes.