Patrick Cantlay opened a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Hotel Fitness Championship, a week after the former UCLA star missed a chance to wrap up a PGA Tour card.
Fighting a back injury, the 21-year-old Cantlay had two eagles, six birdies and a double bogey in the third round to reach 19-under 197 at Sycamore Hills in the Web.com Tour Finals opener.
Cantlay missed the cut last week in the Cox Classic in Omaha, Neb., to drop from 25th to 29th on the Web.com Tour money list. The top 25 after that event secured PGA Tour cards for the 2013-14 season, while Nos. 26-75 are fighting with Nos. 126-200 in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup standings for 25 additional cards in the four-event Web.com Tour Finals series.
Kevin Kisner was second after a 63.
Web.com Tour money champion Michael Putnam was tied for third at 14 under with 2008 Masters winner Trevor Immelman, Arron Oberholser, Bobby Gates, Scott Gardiner and Bud Cauley. Putnam and Immelman shot 69, Oberholser and Cauley had 68s, Gates shot 64, and Gardiner had a 66.
