
The first groups are ready to tee off in today's fourth round of the Verizon Heritage. Here's how it sets up:
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EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR Network on-site correspondent Mark Carnevale previews Sunday's fourth round:
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As predicted, most of the low scores in the third round were carded during the early hours on Saturday. The winds picked up in the afternoon, creating some difficult conditions for the players, but Brian Gay maintained his position heading into the final round. Based on his stats, and they way he has played so far this week, don't expect Brian to back up.
His first win on TOUR in 2008 didn't qualify him for the Masters, but a win here Sunday will earn him a deserved invitation for 2010. But strange things have happened here and low rounds have been posted in the final round before, so I'm not giving it to Brian just yet.
How about this stat: Davis Love III has won this event five times. In three of his victories, the final round fell on April 19. Guess what Sunday is -- April 19. Davis is well back, but he already has shown he can produce some magic here; he will need some in his final round to gets his sixth tartan jacket here at Harbour Town.
The man in second place, Tim Wilkinson, is very soft-spoken. Over the last few weeks, he's been spending a great deal of time on the back of the driving range at TPC Sawgrass, and his efforts have proven worthwhile this week as he goes for his first PGA TOUR win on Sunday.
The lefthander from New Zealand has one thing in common with the world's best lefty golfer, Phil Mickelson -- they both play golf left-handed and write right-handed. I know Tim would like to have a few more things in common with Phil -- like 36 PGA TOUR wins. I think one would suit him just fine for now.
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NEWSWORTHY NUGGETS
Eight of the last 13 outright third-round leaders have failed to win the Verizon Heritage. Over the last nine years of this event, the third-round leader/co-leader has gone on to win four times.
Brian Gay turned his only previous outright third-round lead into a victory at the 2008 Mayakoba Golf Classic. He was tied for the lead at the 2004 Crown Plaza Invitational at Colonial before a final-round 75 dropped him to a tie for 14th.
Tim Wilkinson has used only 70 putts through the first three rounds to move into sole possession of second place. Wilkinson is on pace to break the PGA TOUR record for fewest putts for four rounds, which is 92 by David Frost at the 2005 Verizon Heritage.
The average age of the 16 winners on the PGA TOUR this season is 35 years old. There have been two winners in their 20s, 11 in their 30s and three in their 40s. Last year, 31 percent of the 48 winners on TOUR were in their 20s. This season only 13 percent of the 16 winners have been in their 20s.
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