Round 3, Shell Houston Open

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Apr. 8, 2009
By PGATOUR.COM staff

Third-round play in the Shell Houston Open is set to resume at 7:30 a.m. local time. Here's how it sets up:

Groups We're Watching

Tee time	Players
Through 10 holes		Fred Couples, Briny Baird, Stuart Appleby How cool would it be for Couples to pull off the victory in his old college town before heading to Augusta? Very cool! Track 'em
Through 11 holes		Scott Verplank, D.A. Points, Justin Leonard Texans Leonard and Verplank thrive in tough conditions on tough courses. Sunday could be just what they're looking for. Track 'em
Through 15 holes		Anthony Kim, Hunter Mahan, Sergio Garcia Kim and Garcia are on the short list of players to watch next week. Can either or both of them finish strong here? Track 'em

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR Network on-site correspondent Brett Wright discusses Saturday's play and looks ahead:

In the middle of the afternoon as all the players had completed thier second rounds, and were waiting to be re-paired for Round 3, one of the marshals on the 18th hole looked at me and said "It's finally Saturday!" I had to laugh, we have been playing catch up here at the Shell Houston Open since Thursday's unusual suspension of play due to high winds. It had been Saturday since midnight Friday night, but he was right -- it was finally starting to feel like a weekend at a PGA TOUR event. Just as soon as that feeling set in and the players went to the first and 10th tees and played a little golf, it was time to stop again and think about finishing Round 3 on Sunday morning and then the final round on Sunday afternoon.

On Friday afternoon at 5 p.m., former British Open Champion Ben Curtis saw Mark Carnevale, Fred Albers and myself walking from our broadcast booth on the opening hole where he had just teed off. He jokingly looked at his watch and said, "Hey guys, just because it's 5 o'clock, doesn't mean you can leave."

Sunday's forecast

Mostly cloudy
Temp: 75 high/47 low
Sunday will be pleasant, but the wind could blow at much as 15 to 25 mph out of the northwest.

He had much more work to do -- finish his second round. On Saturday afternoon as he walked up to his first green of his third round, No. 10, it was approaching 5 o'clock again. I said to him, "See we are working late FOR YOU today." He walked over and said jokingly, "Did you guys get in trouble from your boss for leaving early yesterday?" He went on to make a solid up and down par on the hole, and before the next group could hit thier second shots, my producer told us all to bring it in for the day. At least I got one over on Ben!

I imagine we will stay on the air until the completion of play on Sunday, no matter what. So don't worry Ben, we will get all our hours plus a bunch more in this week.

I have been tracking my fellow Augustans all week seeking a last-minute invite to thier hometown major. Vaughn Taylor is quietly sitting in a good place at 2 under in his third round on the 12th hole and 7 under for the championship. Charles Howell III is one shot better at 8 under par, 3 under in his second round through the 13th hole. GO VT and CH3 (oops...Did I say that out loud? I am completely objective)!

This has to be one of the most interesting leaderboards I have ever seen, with so many guys looking for thier first win on the PGA TOUR. Guys who have won looking to add another notch on the stock of thier TOUR bagstrap, and two Presidents Cup captians doing much more than playing ceremonial golf.

Colt Knost from the never-won group, who has only missed three greens in his first two rounds, told me, "I just have to be patient, take my (agressive) shots when I have a good number and so far I am doing that. I did not think this course set up good for me early in the week because of its length, but so far it's working."

The former U.S. Amateur Champion is hitting his irons very crisp and is tied for second place at 10 under though eight holes of his third round.

The greens are getting firm, as the wind started to gust in the third round on Saturday, especially the 18th green which is so far the most difficult hole on the golf course. Watch for a dramatic finish with a back left hole location on Sunday.

Stat of the day

The Presidents Cup captains are in fine form this week before heading to the Masters. Fred Couples, who won the Masters in 1992, is 10 under through 10 holes while Norman is 6 under after completing the third round. Norman will play in the Masters for the first time since 2002 after qualifying with his tie for third at the 2008 British Open.

NOTEWORTHY NUGGETS:
• Bo Van Pelt has held the lead/co-lead a total of nine times in his career (four times in Round 1, three times in Round 2, and twice in Round 3), most recently at the 2009 Mayakoba Golf Classic (first in Round 1, tied for first in Round 3), where he eventually finished tied for 28th.

• Colt Knost was part of a five-way tie for the lead after Round 2 of the Shell Houston Open was completed Saturday. The nearest Knost had been to the lead prior to this was a tie for 12th after Round 2 of the 2009 Puerto Rico Open.

• John Senden (8 under thru 8) leads the 2009 PGA TOUR in holes without a three-putt. He has yet to record a three-putt this week and has now gone 266 holes without a three-putt. Senden shot 67 during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational to finish tied for fourth last week.

• Six players managed to complete the third round before play was suspended due to darkness on Saturday: Greg Norman (70), Martin Kaymer (70), Ernie Els (71), Camilo Villegas (72), John Rollins (72) and Kirk Triplett (74).

Thus far at Redstone

Round	Leader	Low round (par 72)	Key links
	John Senden, Briny Baird, Nicholas Thompson (-7)	65: Senden, Baird, Thompson	Daily Wrap-Up \| Live Report Hauser column \| Notebook
	Paul Casey, Geoff Ogilvy, John Senden, Colt Knost, Tommy Armour III (-8)	65: John Mallinger	Daily Wrap-Up \| Live Report Hauser column \| Notebook

The Film Room

	PGA TOUR Today Win McMurry updates action from Saturday at the Shell Houston Open and previews what to watch for on Sunday. Watch it
	Shot of the day Greg Norman cans a 63-foot putt for birdie at the par-3 14th in the second round at Redstone. Watch it
	Saturday highlights When third-round play was called Saturday due to darkness, Bo Van Pelt held the lead by one stroke over Fred Couples, Paul Casey, Tommy Armour III and Colt Knost. Watch it