Blixt flies solo, hopes to land in winner's circle Sunday

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Chris Condon/PGA TOUR

Jonas Blixt played as a single on Saturday and put himself into Sunday's final pairing.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Jonas Blixt was somewhat alone today on the golf course -- just he, his caddie and the crowd. Tomorrow, he'd like to be alone at the top of the leaderboard.

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Blixt's scheduled pairing with James Nitties never took place. Nitties was suffering from flu-like symptoms and could not tee off in Saturday's third round of the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by Planters.

While Blixt would have preferred to see Nitties tee off, the Swede made the best of it and carded a 68 to put him at 6-under -- one shot behind leader Gavin Coles (-7) and in good position to win his first Nationwide Tour title.

"It's almost like a practice round," said Blixt, who also had to play as a single earlier this year in Knoxville when John Riegger had to withdraw. "You talk to your caddie a lot and just kind of hang out with the people that are out there. You also have to wait a lot. That's the only negative and you're never able get into a rhythm. You just get to the next tee box and wait. Hit a tee shot and wait again. I guess there are pros and cons."

The 27-year-old, who was a former golf standout at Florida State University, probably has less pressure on him Sunday than many in the field. He has locked up his PGA TOUR card for 2012 and will finish well inside the top 25 on the Nationwide Tour money list (he's currently 9th).

Blixt has two runner-up finishes (Cox Classic, Midwest Classic) and six top 10s on the Nationwide Tour in 2011, one of those a third place finish at the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft.

"I reached the $200,000 mark there and that's when I started to feel comfortable about getting my card," Blixt said. "It hasn't really hit me yet. I'm the same guy, but the guy I play with tomorrow may have a lot more at stake. I still feel I have to prove to myself that I can win. That will be my thing tomorrow if I can deal with that."

Coles, who joins Blixt in the final group, ranks No. 45 on the Nationwide Tour money list and will play next week's Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island to determine if he makes it into THE 25. Saturday, Coles birdied four of the first five holes to get it to 10-under, then fell back three strokes by day's end with a 69.

Blixt is one of only two players to shoot in the 60s in all three rounds (69, 67, 68). Marco Dawson, currently tied for fifth place, posted rounds of 69-69-69.

Earlier this summer, Blixt moved just north of Ponte Vedra to Jacksonville Beach clearly excited about making TPC Sawgrass, his home course. Surprisingly, this week is the first time he's seen Dye's Valley since last year's Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open.

"I moved here in June and every time I come out, I try to practice and have a week off from the competition," said Blixt. "Instead of choosing to keep on grinding, you try to clear your mind a little bit. Then you have people that come in and they want to play the Stadium Course every time."

Blixt knows he'll put his time in on the Stadium Course eventually, but first he's got to play one more round on Dye's Valley tomorrow. And, he'd like it to be a memorable one.

SATURDAY NOTES

Nitties

"He contacted the Nationwide Tour Rules Official and indicated he was suffering from the flu," Senko said.

Nitties and Jonas Blixt were scheduled to be the third last group to start.

• Less than 24 hours after missing the cut at The Winn Dixie Jacksonville Open, Len Mattiace was back on the range Saturday at TPC Sawgrass accompanied by Bolles High School sophomore and aspiring junior golfer Alex McDermott. Mattiace, who scheduled an early afternoon tee time on the Stadium Course with the local teen, says he enjoys playing with McDermott and it's a great opportunity for both of them to work on their game.

• Monday qualifier Ryan Blaum, a former member of the Duke golf team playing his first Nationwide Tour event since missing the cut in October 2010 in the Chattanooga Classic, went out on the front nine in 34 Saturday on his way to a 69 and a T26 position entering Sunday's final round.

Blaum, currently living in Orlando and playing out of Champions Gate, matched his best score ever on Dye's Valley with his brother Brent, a former LSU golfer, on the bag. He posted a 69 here in a juniors event over 15 years ago at age 13.

"I only missed one fairway today and that was on No. 7," said Blaum. "That's a huge deal out here to be able to hit the fairway."

The 28-year-old Blaum, split time in 2011 on the European Tour and Hooters Tour. "I had a hard time getting comfortable in Europe but won once on the Hooters Tour and lost another time in a playoff."

• Another Monday qualifer, Christopher Johnson of Brunswick, Ga., who played collegiately at Kennesaw State, birdied the first two holes Saturday but goes into tomorrow tied for 54th after posting a 77.

• Chris Tidland's 2-over round of 72 got jump-started with an eagle on the first hole. The former Oklahoma State University golfer went out in 32 to tie for the low front nine of the day, then stumbled with five bogeys on the back nine for a 40.