Boros stays ahead of pack at NE Pennsylvania Classic

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Guy Boros will enter Sunday's final round at 11-under and one stroke ahead in Scranton.

MOSCOW, Pa. -- Guy Boros didn't make as many putts Saturday as he did Friday but the net results were still the same -- the 44-year old Floridian still holds the lead at the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic. Boros carded a 2-under 68 and stands at 11-under 199 after three trips around Elmhurst Country Club, one better than Chris Tidland (65) and Henrik Bjornstad (67).

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England's Gary Christian matched the course record with a 7-under 63 and heads a list of five tied at 9-under. Joining the Auburn University grad are Martin Flores (64), Mathias Gronberg (65), Peter Tomasulo (65) and 2008 NCAA Champion Kevin Chappell (68).

Saturday's third round was a shootout from the start with birdies being recorded in bunches on a course softened by an inch of rain overnight. Lift, clean and place conditions were in effect and players took full advantage of their opportunity.

Justin Bolli, winner of this event in 2007 when it was contested at nearby Glenmaura National Golf Club, was in the first threesome off the first tee and the former Georgia Bulldog set the pace with five birdies and an eagle in his first dozen holes. Omar Uresti, in the second group off the back nine, posted an early 65 to let the field know the rush was on.

"This course is great when it's hard and fast, like last year," said Tidland, who set the course record in the opening round in 2008. "With it soft, you can throw every shot at it."

That was the game plan for the field of 72 that made the cut. Attack, attack, attack.

Boros, who led by two when the day started, opened with a birdie at the first thanks to a solid 6-iron on the 409-yard hole. But from there, the putts didn't fall.

"I hit some good putts but the speed was off or the line was off just a hair," he said after needing 32 putts Saturday, compared to 25 on Friday. "I hit it pretty similar to the way I did yesterday, I just didn't make anything. I made a couple. Instead of making six or seven, I made three, that's the difference."

Boros' average day on the greens allowed the others to gain ground and bunch the field. At one point during the round, six players shared the lead. A total of 19 players are currently within five of the leader.

Christian had a share of the lead when he posted a 63 to match his career-best score.

"I've struggled on Saturday rounds this year so it's nice to put yourself in with a chance to win it," he said. "It was just one of those rounds where you're comfortable, you're relaxed and everything flows. There's no real secret to playing. You just have to be consistent with everything and that's what I did today. I made a few putts that maybe I haven't made in the past and turned 68 into 63."

Bjornstad got off to a rocky start with consecutive bogeys before righting the ship. He grabbed a temporary share of the lead at 10-under with three consecutive birdies starting at No. 10.

Tidland, on the other hand, opened with back-to-back birdies to enter the hunt. The Tour's number two money winner rolled in a 40-footer on the 530-yard, par-4. It was one of only four registered Saturday on the course's toughest hole.

"That's probably gaining a shot and a half on the field," he said.

The former Oklahoma State standout stalled in the middle of his day, but rallied late with four birdies on the back, including the last two holes to give him a legitimate chance at his second win of the year.

"The golf ball doesn't know if you're number two or number 200," he said.

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Third-Round Notes:

• Lift, clean and place conditions were in effect for Round 3.

• Sunday's final-round tee times will be twosomes off No. 1. The first tee time is 7:36 a.m.

• Best rounds of the day:

63 Gary Christian

64 Martin Flores, Derek Lamely

65 Tom Gillis, Mathias Gronberg, Chris Tidland, Peter Tomasulo, Omar Uresti.

• Seven of the top-10 money winners are in the field this week and all seven made the cut and are in a position to maintain or improve their positions on the money list. Here's how they stand after three rounds:

• Saturday's scoring average was 68.403, the lowest of seven contested rounds at Elmhurst CC. The par differential of -1.597 is the largest in the tournament's 10-year history.

• There were eight eagles recorded Saturday but only three of them came on the course's two par-5s. Four eagles were made at the par-4, 14th hole, which plays to a scorecard distance of 323 yards but played much shorter today from a forward tee.