SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — After erasing a four-stroke deficit in five holes, Kenny Perry wanted to be alone atop the FBR Open leaderboard.
All it took was a 33-foot putt on the 18th hole Saturday. When the putt dropped into the cup, it brought a roar from the massive TPC Scottsdale gallery and gave Perry a one-stroke lead over Scott Piercy through three rounds.
“Good time to make one,” said Perry, who shot a 5-under 66. “Supper’s going to taste good tonight.”
Perry erased a four-stroke deficit between the 13th and 17th holes. He birdied the 17th to catch Piercy and birdied the 18th to move past him.
Kevin Na (66), Brian Gay (67) and Charley Hoffman (69) were tied for third, two strokes back.
Perry’s rally set up an intriguing duel between Perry, who turned pro in 1982, and Piercy, a rookie.
• Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy maintained his lead in the weather-affected Dubai Desert Classic in the United Arab Emirates after the third round was suspended because of darkness.
McIlroy had an eagle and got to 15-under 169 after 10 holes for a two-shot lead over Louis Oosthuizen and Richard Green of Australia.
World Cup races called off
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany — Dense fog forced organizers to cancel two World Cup races.
A women’s super-G was scheduled to follow the men’s downhill, but fog shrouded sections of the course and failed to lift. The women’s super-G was rescheduled for today and will take place before a men’s slalom. There was no decision on whether the men’s downhill would be rescheduled.
• Gregor Schlierenzauer led an Austrian sweep at a World Cup ski jump event in Sapporo, Japan, for his eighth win of the season.
• Renato Pasini of Italy and Pirjo Muranen of Finland won the men’s and women’s World Cup 1.3-kilometer freestyle sprint races in Demino, Russia.
Nicanor stumbles
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Hurting himself on his very first stride, Nicanor, the 3-year-old full brother of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro finished 10th of 12 horses in a one-mile maiden race at Gulfstream Park, hardly an encouraging step toward what his connections hoped would be a journey into this year’s Triple Crown races.
Also on tap at Gulfstream was the Grade 3, $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes for Derby-hopeful 3-year-olds (where Saratoga Sinner prevailed) and the Grade 1, $500,000 Donn Handicap for older horses (where Albertus Maximus held off Finallymadeit).
Fredricks captures 500
ERFURT, Germany — Tucker Fredricks of the U.S. beat World Cup leader Yu Fengtong of China to win a 500-meter speedskating race.
Denny Morrison of Canada edged two Americans, Trevor Marsicano and Shani Davis, to win the 1,500. Jenny Wolf of Germany celebrated her 30th birthday with her 39th World Cup win, taking the 500, while World Cup leader Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic won the 3,000.
The Associated Press
