GREENSBORO, N.C. – Not many players birdied the tricky final hole at the Wyndham Championship on Saturday.

Nick Watney did to top leaderboard.

Watney made a 20-foot birdie putt from the right edge of the green on the par-4 18th for a 5-undee 65 and a one-stroke lead. The five-time PGA Tour winner had a 14-under 196 total with only one bogey through three trips around Sedgefield Country Club.

“I’ve been trying to keep it pretty simple – a lot of fairways and greens, and I’ve been able to do that so far,” Watney said. “I’m super excited about going into tomorrow with the lead. … I’m looking forward to everything that comes with it, all the emotions and wanting to do well and whatnot. Learning how to handle that is a big thing, and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Brad Fritsch was second after a 65.

Freddie Jacobson and second-round co-leader Heath Slocum were 12 under. Jacobson shot a 66, and Slocum had a 68.

Former Wyndham winners Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson joined second-round co-leader Scott Langley at 11 under in the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season. Snedeker and Simpson shot 66, and Langley had a 69.

Fritsch was the first to 13 under, but Watney joined him with a birdie on the par-5 15th – his second of the week on that hole.

Then came the sequence that gave him sole possession of the lead, and it came on the second-toughest hole of the day.

Watney plopped his fairway shot from 180 yards onto the right edge of the green, then calmly rolled in his putt for just the fifth birdie of the day on 18.

“It’s a hard hole as it is, and they put the pin on that back right little knob,” Watney said. “It’s a bonus and I’m very happy with it.”

That put him in great position for his second top-10 finish of the year and his first victory since he won The Barclays in 2012.

Fritsch – a Canadian who played college golf at Campbell and lives in the Raleigh suburb of Holly Springs – said he asked the officials at the first tee to announce him as a North Carolinian.

“Just so people would know (and) get a little focus off Webb and a little onto me,” Fritsch said with a laugh.

He made it to 13 under when he birdied the par-3 16th after placing his tee shot about 15 feet from the flagstick.

Fritsch, who is playing his second full season on the PGA Tour, put himself in position to challenge for his first victory on tour and his third top-10 finish.

He’s also got a shot at making the postseason after arriving at Sedgefield at No. 163. The top 125 qualify for The Barclays next week in New Jersey.

He came to this tournament last year at No. 128 last year but missed the cut – and the playoffs.

“Can’t tell you specifically what I found,” Fritsch said. “Staying patient and not freaking out over a bogey, not freaking out over a missed fairway and not getting too aggressive – I think just that, really.”

Andres Romero had the day’s best round, a 64, and Kevin Foley and David Toms each had holes-in-one. Foley aced the par-3 12th with a 5-iron a few minutes before Toms did it on the par-3 seventh.

But so far, the story at Sedgefield has been its tight leaderboard. Thirteen players were within three strokes of the lead.

“I assume that when I tee off, I probably won’t be in the lead or tied for the lead,” Watney said. “So it’s not like I’m protecting anything tomorrow. Just more (of) the same.”

When the second-round co-leaders finally teed off midway through the afternoon, four other players had already joined them atop the field at 10 under.

And by the time the Slocum-Langley pairing had finished its 10th hole, there were five players – including those two – sharing the lead at 12 under.

That didn’t even include Jacobson, who began the day two strokes behind the leaders but made a short, quick rise to 12 under with four straight birdies on his front nine. He fell back with a bogey on the 11th.

One by one, most of them slipped back with back-nine bogeys: Martin Laird had one on the 12th and another four holes later, Slocum followed suit on 11, Langley had one on the 15th and Snedeker had his only bogey of the day on 18.

“You never like being two back with 10 other guys,” Snedeker said. “You know what you’re going to have to do. You have to go out there and shoot good tomorrow. The great mentality, go out there and be aggressive and don’t hold back. Give it everything you’ve got.”

AALBORG, Denmark – Scotland’s Marc Warren mastered strong winds to shoot a 5-under 66 on Saturday and join Bradley Dredge of Wales in a share of the lead after the third round of Made in Denmark.

Warren surged 12 places up the leaderboard to sit tied with Dredge on 6-under 207, three shots ahead of Garteh Maybin of Northern Ireland and England’s Simon Wakefield.

Dredge, a two-time winner of the European Tour, held a four-shot lead after the second round but only managed a 73 after mixing four bogeys with two birdies.

Warren had eight birdies and three bogeys.

“I am absolutely delighted,” Warren said. “I started off and felt a wee bit of out of synch the first couple of holes, then hit a really nice second shot into the third and from then on just played really solid golf.”

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn, who is hoping to wrap up a Ryder Cup spot, also made a 73 to drop into a tie for eighth. The 43-year-old Dane, who hasn’t played in the Ryder Cup since 2002, dropped behind countryman Thorbjorn Olesen and was five shots behind Dredge.

“It wasn’t going to be today,” Bjorn said. “I missed some short puts and it was pretty tough out there.”

Some players were held up briefly after a Danish cameraman fell ill and needed medical attention on the 18th hole. He was rushed to a hospital but was quickly released and organizers said he was doing well.

This is the first time since 2003 that a European Tour event is being held in Denmark.

ENDICOTT, N.Y. – Kevin Sutherland shot the first 59 in Champions Tour history Saturday at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

The 50-year-old Sutherland had a chance to become the first player to card a 58 in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event with a par on No. 18, but made his only bogey of the day. His par putt from about 6 feet slid just past the hole.

Sutherland opened with seven birdies and an eagle on the first eight holes. He had 12 birdies overall, including three straight coming into No. 18 to set up the chance for a 58.

He settled for a 13-under 59, after shooting 71 in Friday’s first round in his third Champions Tour event.

Sutherland owns one career PGA Tour title, winning the 2002 Match Play Championship.

Six players have shot a 59 on the PGA Tour.

After an eagle on the fifth hole, Sutherland said he got the feeling “this could be a good day.” A chip-in for birdie from a bunker on the par-3 seventh confirmed it.

“That was my biggest break of the day,” Sutherland said. “I guess you need a margin of luck to shoot a 59.”

Many of the other players who had finished their rounds gathered to watch Sutherland finish.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” Sutherland said. “It blew me away. It’s emotional, really, to see those guys, the support you get out here.”

He added, “Who would have thought you’d bogey the last hole and still feel great?”

Canada’s Rod Spittle shot a 67 Saturday and is tied for 8th at 9-under 135 heading into the final round.

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Team Canada’s Corey Conners has moved on to the match play final at the U.S. Amateur after defeating Denny McCarthy of Rockville, Md., 1up.

Conners, a 22-year-old Listowel, Ont. native, came out firing with a birdie on the opening hole to take the early lead. The recent Kent State graduate kept his foot on the gas, building up a 2-hole advantage after the par-4 third hole. McCarthy, the no. 36 ranked male amateur in the world, chipped away at the lead by taking advantage of two consecutive bogeys by Conners to close out the front nine, making the match all square.

Conners recovered quickly on the back nine, turning the tables to take advantage of consecutive bogeys by McCarthy. The match was tight was down the stretch, with Conners hanging on for a nail-biting, 1up finish on the par-5 18^th.

As a finalist, Conners will likely receive an invitation to the PGA Tour’s 2015 U.S. Open as well as The Masters. A dream for any golfer, the prize is even sweeter for Conners, who lost in last year’s U.S. Amateur semi-finals, narrowly missing his chance.

However, Conners must maintain his amateur status in order to receive the invitations.

The co-Mid-American-Conference (MAC) player of the year continues to add to an impressive resume this season. He carries momentum into tomorrow’s final from winning the Jones Cup, three NCAA titles, and placing runner-up at the North & South this year alone.

Conners is slated to square off against Korea’s Gunn Yang in the 36-hole final, beginning Sunday morning at 8:30 am (EDT).

Click here to follow scoring.

Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners (USGA)

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Team Canada’s Corey Conners has advanced to the semifinal of the US Amateur Championship after defeating Zachary Olsen of Cordova, Tenn. 2&1 Friday at Atlanta Athletic Club.

A recent Kent State graduate, Conners led early after a win the the day’s third hole. Olsen would square the match with a birdie on No. 9, before Conners shifted into another gear on the back nine.  Conners would win holes 10, 11 and 16 to earn his victory.

Conners, a Listowel, Ont. native who is currently ranked as the No. 44 amateur in the world, finished as a semi-finalist at last year’s U.S. Amateur in Brookline, Mass. He also carries momentum from a successful summer which saw him capture the Jones Cup and place runner-up at the Men’s North & South Amateur Championship.

Conners’ game plan for Saturday’s match is simple.

“Stay patient. Just keep fighting,” said the 22-year-old. “Just try and stick to my game plan and do the same thing as I did in the last four matches.”

He now faces Denny McCarthy of Rockville, Md. Saturday at 8:20am (EDT). McCarthy is ranked 36th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Corey Conners (USGA)

Corey Conners (USGA)

To follow semifinal scoring online, click here.

ENDICOTT, N.Y. – John Cook birdied the final two holes for a 7-under 65 and a share of the first-round lead with Olin Browne on Friday in the Champions Tour’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

The 56-year-old Cook had eight birdies and a bogey on the En-Joie course. He won the last of his nine titles on the 50-and-over tour last year in the season-opening event in Hawaii.

Cook missed 10 weeks of the season after injuring his back in a February fall at his Florida home. He made an 8-foot putt on the par-3 17th and a 25-footer on par-4 18th.

“I was really excited for this year, then (after the injury) I got really down,” Cook said. “I didn’t know when I was going to be able to play again.”

Surgery wasn’t necessary, but the layoff left some rust that had to be worked off.

“I’m feeling very good right now,” Cook said.

The 55-year-old Browne birdied five of the last seven holes in a bogey-free round. He won the 2011 U.S. Senior Open for his lone Champions Tour victory.

“Sixty-five is a great start,” Browne said. “I played really nice golf today. I hit a fair number of fairways and greens and I had a lot of good looks at birdies. And this course, the greens can be a little tricky, so I hit a lot of good putts that didn’t go in. I misread a few of them. I’ve never really played that great here even though I really like the golf course, so it’s a good start.”

He made birdie putts from 8 feet on the par-4 11th, 5 feet on the par-5 12th, 15 feet on the par-4 13th, 10 feet on the par-4 16th and 7 feet on the par-3 17th.

“I happened to get some putts where what I saw matched up with what actually happened,” Browne said. “I thought the hole locations today were really, really good and they’re on the sides of some of the greens so when you get holes in the middle of the greens that tend to be flatter, you get them toward the corners and you can actually see the breaks. I just felt like I was able to see the breaks better on the back.”

Defending champion Bart Bryant was a stroke back along with Steve Lowery and David Frost.

Bernhard Langer, the tour leader with four victories this year, was two shots back at 67 along with Sandy Lyle, Woody Austin, Jeff Sluman, Tommy Armour III, Doug Garwood, Dick Mast, Ben Bates, John Riegger and Scott Dunlap. Colin Montgomerie, a two-time major champion this season, opened with a 68.

The 50-year-old Austin is making his second Champions Tour start after making his debut with a tie for third in the U.S. Senior Open. He has played 22 PGA Tour events this season.

“I got off to a perfect start,” Austin said. “I hit a perfect tee shot on the first hole and then I hit it to about 10 inches, so you can’t get off to a better start than a putt you can make blindfolded and something that gets you going into the round.”

Rob Spittle is the leading Canadian. He’s tied for 16th after carding 68 in opening round. Jim Rutledge shot 74 and it tied for 61st.

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Brittany Lincicome opened a three-stroke lead Friday in the wind-swept LPGA Championship, the tour’s fourth major championship of the season.

The long-hitting Lincicome followed her opening 67 with a 68 to reach 9 under at Monroe Golf Club. She won the 2009 Kraft Nabisco for her lone major title and has five LPGA Tour victories.

Lexi Thompson, tied for the first-round lead with Meena Lee, dropped into a tie for second with defending champion Inbee Park of South Korea. Thompson had a 72, and Park shot 66.

That gave the United States two players at the top as the Americans go for their fourth straight major title of the season. Thompson won the Kraft Nabisco to start the run.

Seventeen-year-old Lydia Ko of New Zealand had a 69 to join Lee, from South Korea, and Jane Park at 5 under. Lee had a 73, and Park shot 69.

Top-ranked Stacy Lewis sputtered again with a 1-over 73 to finish the two rounds at even par.

It’s the first time Americans have won the first three majors since 1999, and they haven’t won four since 1992. A fifth major, the Evian Championship in France, was added last year.

Michelle Wie won the U.S. Women’s Open, and Mo Martin surged to victory in the final round at the Women’s British Open.

Lincicome had an eagle and three birdies to go with one bogey for her second solid day. She averaged 277.5 yards off the tee and needed 26 putts for the second straight day.

“It’s been incredible. I haven’t been here in a while, especially in a major,” said Lincicome, who hasn’t won on tour since 2011. “I feel like I’ve been playing really well. It’s just not coming together.”

Thompson reached 8 under after a birdie at the par-5 14th hole but followed with bogeys at Nos. 8 and 9 to drop into a tie with Lincicome at the turn.

Lincicome, who started the day one shot off the lead, birdied the par-5 12th hole to gain a one-shot advantage while Inbee Park slowly clawed her way back into contention after shooting even par on the first day.

Park had two birdies and an eagle on her first five holes on the back side, and three birdies in the first three holes on the front put her at 6 under.

Thompson’s birdie at No. 3 forged a tie with Lincicome and Meena Lee at 7 under, but it was short-lived. Moments later, Lincicome notched the sixth eagle of the day at the par-5 14th hole to put her two shots ahead and then parred out.

Unable to string any sort of run together as she did on the first day, Thompson dropped into a tie for second after a bogey at the par-3 sixth hole, statistically the sixth-most difficult hole on the day.

Locust Hill had been LPGA’s host in the Rochester area for 37 straight years before the tour made the switch this year to nearby Monroe. The Donald Ross-designed course is about 300 yards longer at 6,717 yards, and the wider fairways favored long hitters.

“Right now, the fairways are generous. You can just bomb it off the tee,” Pettersen said. “You can risk the extra few yards. Even if you miss it (the fairway), you’ll still be able to get to the greens somehow.”

A gusting wind strafed the course all day, sending leaves and bits of bark onto some greens and making each shot an adventure. Pettersen, who averaged over 276 yards off the tee, second-best over the first two rounds, was in the morning group and managed to stay out of trouble for the most part.

It wasn’t easy.

“It is playable out there, but you’ve got to hit some great golf shots,” said Suzann Pettersen, tied for seventh at 4 under after a 69. “The wind is a bit choppy. It’s bounding up and down all the time. You’ve got to try and find the pocket, try and hit the right shot that gives you the highest percentage.”

Ko, already a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour career, hit all 14 fairways and reached 15 greens in regulation in notching six birdies with three bogeys in an up-and-down day.

Ko needed 31 putts to complete the round – six more than the first day – in part because of a three-putt bogey at No. 2 and then failing to get up-and-down at No. 4 in making another bogey. Both holes are par 4s.

“I just give myself as many opportunities as I can,” said the low-key Ko, who didn’t touch a club during a recent five-day stretch because her swing was “on holiday.”

“I wish I was a long hitter,” Ko said. “I’m just trying to play to my strengths.”

Ko, a two-time winner this season, remained focused on the moment and just shrugged at the possibility of becoming the youngest winner of a major in LPGA Tour history.

“I think about winning at the end of the week,” Ko said. “I’m going to go out there and just have some fun. There’s still two more days. I’m pretty confident. It’s good to be in this position.”

Jennifer Kirby was the lone Canadian to elude the cut after shooting 79 in the second round. The Paris. Ont. native is tied for 54th at 2-over 146.

AALBORG, Denmark  – Wales’ Bradley Dredge topped the Made in Denmark leaderboard on Friday, with England’s Simon Wakefield in second and Dane Thomas Bjorn, who aims to secure a spot in Europe’s Ryder Cup team, tied in third.

Dredge holds a four-shot lead over Wakefield after a three-under-par 68 second round that saw him birdie four of his last six holes.

“I’m delighted with the way I played,” Dredge said. “I am looking forward to the weekend.”

Wakefield produced a fine round of 67, parring the opening five holes before catching fire to birdie the 15th, 16th and 17th. A dropped stroke on 18 ruined that run at the end of the day’s play.

Bjorn and Chile’s Felipe Aguilar both struggled for form, hitting 73 and 74, respectively.

Bjorn, who has 15 European Tour victories, began being atop of Friday’s event with Dredge before a lightning threat halted proceedings for an hour. He had started the second day with three bogeys, to finish five shots behind the leader.

Level with Bjorn is fellow Norwegian Thorbjorn Olesen, England’s Garrick Porteous and Scotland’s David Drysdale, with the latter two also shooting three-under-par.

“It was just not quite there. My wedges were poor, which is unlike me, and I didn’t really take advantage of those short holes,” he said. “One birdie all day isn’t really going to do it as you are going to make some birdies in these conditions.”

Bjorn hasn’t played in the Ryder Cup since 2002 but a victory in Aalborg will guarantee him a spot in the European team for the match against United States at Gleneagles next month.

This is the inaugural tournament, and the first time since 2003 that a European Tour event is being held in Denmark.

AALBORG, Denmark  – Wales’ Bradley Dredge topped the Made in Denmark leaderboard on Friday, with England’s Simon Wakefield in second and Dane Thomas Bjorn, who aims to secure a spot in Europe’s Ryder Cup team, tied in third.

Dredge holds a four-shot lead over Wakefield after a three-under-par 68 second round that saw him birdie four of his last six holes.

“I’m delighted with the way I played,” Dredge said. “I am looking forward to the weekend.”

Wakefield produced a fine round of 67, parring the opening five holes before catching fire to birdie the 15th, 16th and 17th. A dropped stroke on 18 ruined that run at the end of the day’s play.

Bjorn and Chile’s Felipe Aguilar both struggled for form, hitting 73 and 74, respectively.

Bjorn, who has 15 European Tour victories, began being atop of Friday’s event with Dredge before a lightning threat halted proceedings for an hour. He had started the second day with three bogeys, to finish five shots behind the leader.

Level with Bjorn is fellow Norwegian Thorbjorn Olesen, England’s Garrick Porteous and Scotland’s David Drysdale, with the latter two also shooting three-under-par.

“It was just not quite there. My wedges were poor, which is unlike me, and I didn’t really take advantage of those short holes,” he said. “One birdie all day isn’t really going to do it as you are going to make some birdies in these conditions.”

Bjorn hasn’t played in the Ryder Cup since 2002 but a victory in Aalborg will guarantee him a spot in the European team for the match against United States at Gleneagles next month.

This is the inaugural tournament, and the first time since 2003 that a European Tour event is being held in Denmark.

GREENSBORO, N.C.  – Heath Slocum needs a strong finish at the Wyndham Championship to earn a spot in the PGA Tour’s postseason.

Scott Langley might not be on the playoff bubble – but he sure knows how his friend is feeling.

Slocum and Langley each shot 5-under 65 for the second straight day Friday to share the lead at 10-under 130.

Brian Stuard, Nick Watney, Martin Laird and Andrew Svoboda were a stroke back. Watney and Svoboda shot 64, Stuard had a 65 and Laird a 66.

Ryo Ishikawa had the best round of the day – a 62 that was one stroke off the course record and included six birdies on the back nine.

Since the tournament returned to Sedgefield Country Club in 2008, every two-day leader until now had been at 11 under or better.

In what’s become an annual rite of mid-August, the field is littered with players trying to prolong their seasons for at least one more week by cracking the top 125 on the points list and qualifying for the first round of the playoffs, which begin next week at The Barclays in New Jersey.

Langley isn’t one of them.

The second-year pro’s main concern is chasing his first PGA Tour victory.

He isn’t feeling quite as much stress as he did here last year, when he missed the cut yet squeaked into The Barclays at No. 124.

“Last year, so much going through my head as a rookie, not knowing how to handle it,” Langley said. “I was thinking a little too much about things that I really have no control over in terms of keeping my card, what other guys are doing. Lesson learned.”

Langley ran off three straight birdies early in his round and closed with two in a row after putting both of his approach shots less than 6 feet from the stick.

At No. 81 on the points list, his spot next week is safe.

Slocum’s isn’t.

He’s at No. 158 but is well aware that if you can somehow get into the playoffs, anything can happen.

Five years ago, he made the playoffs “by the skin of my teeth” at No. 124 – and then went on to win The Barclays.

“I came into this week trying to create a little bit of momentum for me to whether I could somehow get myself into the playoffs or the (Web.com) finals,” Slocum said.

Slocum had seven birdies and moved atop the leaderboard after a run of four in a row late during his second consecutive 65.

He sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the 13th before twice sticking approach shots within seven feet of the flagstick and converting those short putts.

“It was a good stretch, and obviously at this point, you’re going to need a lot,” Slocum said. “You’re going to have to have some of that to keep yourself in contention and go for it.”

Indeed, that put the Florida player in position to challenge for his fifth PGA Tour victory and first since the McGladrey Classic in 2010.

“I do miss this feeling of being in contention,” Slocum said. “Not being in contention for a while, I’m going to savor it.”

Svoboda briefly joined them at 10 under with a birdie on the 17th, but slipped back after missing a 20-foot par putt on the 18th and closing with a bogey.

First-round leader Camilo Villegas, who opened with a 63, put two strong rounds together after his 69 left him in a pack of players two strokes back.

He had three birdies but closed his round with his first two bogeys of the tournament, coming on the 17th and 18th.

Still, his low score was an indication of progress: He struggled each of the last two times he held a first-round lead, missing the cut at last year’s Honda Classic and finishing 71st at the John Deere.

“The golf course is not easy,” Villegas said. “Seven-under out here was pretty good yesterday. One under out here today wasn’t bad. I’ll take that and keep going.”

Among those bubble players who came to Sedgefield hoping to play their way into the postseason, No. 125 Paul Casey shot a 69 to move to 6 under and put himself well past the cut line of 2 under.

Others ran into bubble trouble: No. 122 Robert Allenby, No. 127 Charlie Beljan and No. 128 Greg Chalmers were among the borderline players who missed the cut.

Brad Fritsch is the leading Canadian, he’s tied for 7th after carding a 63 in Friday’s second round.