Hamilton Leads by Four Strokes

Todd Hamilton played well enough to take the lead in the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Carl Pettersson made sure it was a big margin.

Trailing by four shots at one point Saturday, Hamilton walked off Mirasol with a four-stroke lead after making a birdie on the final hole for a four-under 68.

He owes much of that lead to Pettersson, who lost the lead and control with a five-putt from 40 feet on the 16th hole that sent him to a 76, five shots behind.

“Just a mental block,” Pettersson said. “I’ll try to forgot about it and play well tomorrow.”Hamilton was at 14-under 202 and will play in the final group with Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden, who had a 70. Chris Riley holed a five-foot par putt on the final hole for a 68 that also left him five shots behind.

The notorious South Florida wind finally arrived, and everyone said it would lead to some unpredictable golf. It got downright goofy at the end of the day.

It started with Pettersson and his five putts. It ended with Hamilton being taken to the television trailer after his round because a viewer reported what he thought was an infraction.

The TV viewer said Hamilton realigned his ball on the 11th green after having picked up his coin.

“I would never do that,” Hamilton said, and replays showed that he didn’t.

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Karen Stupples got the better of Laura Davies on Saturday with a four-under 66 that sent her into the final round of the LPGA Tour’s season opener at Tucson with a one-shot lead over Davies and Grace Park.

Stupples ended a streak of 47 consecutive bogey-free holes on No. 18, finishing the third round of the Welch’s/Fry’s Championship at 15-under 195.

She and Davies each will play in their second straight final group.