Derek Fathauer holds first-ever 54 hole PGA Tour lead into Mayakoba finale
Derek Fathauer doesn’t seem like a greedy guy, and it may cost him his first PGA Tour win on Sunday.
Fathauer carries a one-shot lead into the final round of the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico over Jason Bohn, marking not only Fathauer’s first 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour but also the first time the 29-year-old has been in the top 10 after three rounds on Tour.
WGC-HSBC Champions winner Russell Knox, rookie Harold Varner III, 1997 British Open winner Justin Leonard and 2010 U.S. Open champ Graeme McDowell are all tied for third, three back of the pace.
After shooting a second-consecutive 5-under 66 at El Camaleon Golf Club, Fathauer, who is on 16-under 197, isn’t worried about a win so much as experiencing the thrill of playing in the final group on Sunday.
“I’ll just go do my best tomorrow and see where that puts me,” he said. He added, ”I’ve just got to have fun, play golf, play my game, and whatever happens will happen.”
Fathauer knows that, with low scores possible on Sunday, that his edge is practically nonexistent.
“If I had a 10-shot lead, that would be one thing, but one shot, that’s an even playing field tomorrow,” he said. “I think if I just go out and do what I came here to do, I’d like to see where it puts me at the end of the day because if I just stick to my plan, I’ll be happy no matter what happens.”
Meanwhile, Bohn has plenty of experience challenging for a PGA Tour win. Not only has he been knocking on the door of late, including getting within a shot of the win at the Frys.com Open and in Las Vegas, but he was the 54-hole leader in this event last year. He turned in a Sunday 74 while Charley Hoffman walked away the winner.
”I don’t want to do what I did last year on Sunday,” Bohn said. ”The only thing I can draw on is how I’ve been playing. I’ve got to embrace it, have fun and realize where I am. If I give myself enough chances, I’m going to win one.”
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
