Duncan clings to one-stroke lead in Napa

AFP
Tyler Duncan plays his shot from the 17th tee during the third round of the Safeway Open at the North Course of the Silverado Resort and Spa on Saturday in Napa, California. (AFP)

SAN FRANCISCO, California: PGA Tour rookie Tyler Duncan fired a one-under par 71 on Saturday to maintain a one-stroke lead in the Safeway Open in Napa, California.
Duncan countered four bogeys with five birdies on the North Course at Silverado Resort and Spa to build a 54-hole total of 14-under par 202.
That kept him one shot in front of Chesson Hadley, who followed up his second-round 61 with a two-under 70 for 203.
Hadley had three of his four bogeys on the front nine but found six birdies on the day to keep the pressure on Duncan.
Bud Cauley climbed the leaderboard with a 66 for 204, sharing third place with Brendan Steele (72).
Steele started the day one shot off the lead but his two birdies were balanced by two bogeys.
Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo and Canadian Graham DeLaet were a further stroke back on 205.
Five-time major champion Phil Mickelson headed a group on 206, alongside Andrew Putnam, Bill Haas and Tony Finau.
Mickelson, who has not won since his 2013 British Open triumph, strung together four straight birdies from the fourth through the seventh holes.
He had seven birdies overall to put himself in contention in the first tournament of the PGA Tour’s 2017-18 season.
John Daly made the cut and shot a 71 Saturday to give him a three-round total of 214.
India’s Sadhu takes first Asian Tour win in Taiwan
India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu shot a two-under-par 70 to claim his first Asian Tour victory at the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship in Taiwan Sunday.
Sandhu edged American Johannes Veerman to the title after trading three birdies against one bogey and ended with a total of 12-under-par 276 at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club.
“I’m still shaking from the last putt but now that I’m thinking about it, it is absolutely amazing,” Sandhu said.
“I’m proud of myself that I was able to focus on my own my game. I was just trying to hit the next shot the best that I could and I won.”
He became the 10th first-time Asian Tour winner in 2017.
Veerman almost forced a playoff when his eagle chip on the 18th hole hit the pin but ended up a runner-up for the second time in his career on the Asian Tour.
Local star Lu Wei-chih, who came back following brain surgery in 2012, posted a 72 to finish third after firing four birdies against as many bogeys.
Leading scores at the Yeangder TPC (par 72)
276 — Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 69-69-68-70
277 — Johannes Veerman (USA) 67-69-70-71
278 — Lu Wei-chih (TPE) 69-68-69-72. 279 — Adilson Da Silva (BRA) 71-73-70-65, Dodge Kemmer (USA) 68-69-74-68
281 — Sung Mao-chang (TPE) 70-67-74-70, Prom Meesawat (THA) 71-68-70-72, Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 69-70-69-73
282 — Thaworn Wiratchant (THA) 72-70-72-68, Younghan Song (KOR) 73-70-68-71