Pierceson Coody hangs onto ISCO Championship lead in bid for wire-to-wire breakthrough victory

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Pierceson Coody topped the ISCO Championship leaderboard for the third straight day, overcoming a slow start Saturday for a 4-under 68 and a one-stroke advantage.

After playing the front nine in even par with three birdies and three bogeys, Coody eagled the par-5 11th — hitting a 225-yard shot to 6 feet — and added birdies on the par-5 15th and par-4 17th.

“The front nine, just a few things didn’t go my way,” said Coody, the 24-year-old grandson of 1971 Masters champion Charles Coody. “Didn’t quite hit it the way I wanted to, left myself in some tough spots.

“But every hole feels like out here you can have a chance at birdie with one good shot, so I just tried to stick with that mindset and luckily some good bounces and some good putts on the back nine got me back in it.”

He had a 20-under 196 total on Keene Trace’s Champions Course in the tournament co-sanctioned by PGA and European tours. Harry Hall of England and Rico Hoey of the Philippines were tied for second

Coody opened with rounds of 61 and 67 in pursuit of his first victory in his 27th start on the PGA Tour.

“Every shot counts and I certainly want to be the front-runner, ”Coody said. “I certainly know how important every shot is. My whole goal is just to get myself back in the tournament, set myself up to go shoot a 7-, 8-under round and close things out the best I can.”

Hall and Hoey also are winless on the PGA Tour. Hall shot a bogey-free 64.

“The greens firmed up so much today compared to the start of the week that it might not be a shootout tomorrow,” Hall said.

Hoey bogeyed the par-4 18th for a 67. He had played 53 holes without a bogey.

“I’m very excited,” Hoey said. “I know I’m going to be very nervous. It’s a new situation that I’ve never been in.”

Sam Bairstow (62), Neal Shipley (66) and Johannes Veerman (67) were two strokes back at 18 under, with Lanto Griffin (67) and Chez Reavie (69) at 17 under.

Shipley was the low amateur at the Masters and U.S. Open. He’s making his third PGA Tour start as a professional.

Luke Clanton was tied for 34th at 12 under after a 69. Last week, the Florida State sophomore tied for second in the John Deere Classic to become the first amateur since 1958 to finish in the top 10 in consecutive PGA Tour-sanctioned starts.

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