DORAL, Fla. — Charl Schwartzel finally has a chance to show off his game on a world stage. The next step is to take on Ernie Els, a familiar face from his native South Africa.
Schwartzel ran off four birdies in the opening six holes to catch up Saturday, then stayed in the game with three big par putts on the back nine for a 5-under 67 at Doral and a share of the lead with Els going into the final round of the CA Championship.
Els was in front for most of the sunny, blustery day on the Blue Monster until he started missing birdie opportunities. He had to settle for a 2-under 70 to join the 25-year-old Schwartzel at 12-under 204.
It will be an all-South African final pairing, three weeks after another WGC produced an all-England pairing in the final of the Match Play Championship.
Only this time, there are loads of other possibilities.
Padraig Harrington of Ireland ran off four birdies on the back nine only to have his streak of 26 holes without a bogey end with a three-putt on the 18th. He still had a 67 and was one shot behind.
Robert Allenby, somehow, remains in the mix. The Australian missed eight putts from inside 15 feet and was falling out of contention until two late birdies allowed him to salvage a 1-under 71, leaving him only two shots behind.
Bob Hope Classic champion Bill Haas nearly holed his final shot on the 18th for a tap-in birdie and a 70. He was three shots behind.
Defending champion Phil Mickelson had a 72, which put him eight shots behind. He suffered a stinger in his left elbow hitting off the firm turf on the 18th hole, and while he said it was tender, did not expect it to be a problem.
Puerto Rico Open
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — Chad Collins chipped in for eagle on the par-5 second hole to top the Puerto Rico Open leaderboard at 9 under before second-round play was suspended because of darkness in the rain-delayed PGA Tour event.
Collins, a former Methodist College player who has won twice on the Nationwide Tour, was 6 under through 11 holes in the second round after completing a first-round 69 in sunny conditions Saturday morning at Trump International Golf Club-Puerto Rico.
Paul Stankowski, one of only six players to complete the second round, followed an opening 66 with a 70 to join Jeff Overton and Jhonattan Vegas at 8 under. Overton finished 14 holes in the second round, and Vegas played 13.
Women’s Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Australia — Four-time champion Karrie Webb shot a bogey-free 3-under 70 to take a one-stroke lead in the Women’s Australian Open.
Webb, the Australian star coming off her seventh Australian Ladies Masters title, had a 6-under 213 total on the Commonwealth Golf Club course.
Italy’s Giulia Sergas, the second-round leader, bogeyed the final hole for a 75, leaving her a stroke behind Webb — the tournament winner in 2000, ’02, ’07 and ’08.
