Lamb grabs lead, looks to make it back-to-back PGA Tour Canada wins in Quebec

BROMONT, Québec—Davis Lamb will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Québec Open powered by Videotron Business as he tries to become the first two-time winner on PGA TOUR Canada this season, and if he’s successful he will do it in back-to-back fashion. 

Lamb shot a 64 Saturday at Golf Château Bromont and is atop the leaderboard, at 15-under 195. Lamb is one shot clear of Canadian Chris R. Wilson, who shot 65, and American Brian Richey, who shot 63. They stand at 14-under 196. Canadians Joey Savoie and U.S. player Dylan Healey are tied with another American, David Kim, for fourth place, at 13-under 197.

Lamb, of Bethesda, Maryland, appeared to be in trouble after back-to-back bogeys, at No. 6 and No. 7. But he finished the front nine with two birdies and made six more birdies en route to a 29 on the back nine.

“It was a pretty slow start today. I wasn’t really thrilled with how I was rolling the ball for about seven holes,” Lamb said of his putting. “Then something kind of clicked and we were off to the races after that. Never disappointed with a sub-30, no matter where you are or what the conditions are. Just looking forward to moving forward with it.”

Lamb had no explanation for how his Saturday fortunes changed.

“If I knew, I would bottle it and sell it,” he said. “I made a good swing on 8 and hit it to about two feet, and then from there we didn’t have a birdie putt outside of really four feet. It felt like we were just kind of cruising. It was one of those days where everything worked for a certain period of time.”

Wilson, of Toronto, saw his fortunes change at No. 9. After starting with eight straight pars, he eagled the 538-yard par-5 despite missing left with his tee shot and having his ball plug in the rough. A rules official found the ball and after a drop, Wilson hit a an 8-iron to within seven feet and made the putt.

“That definitely kind of jump-started things,” Wilson said. “It felt like a two-shot swing. I thought I may be going back to the tee; very grateful we found that ball, and it was awesome.”

Richey, of Lakeland, Florida, shot 7-under, despite making a pair of bogeys, and posted his career-best PGA TOUR Canada score. He shot 30 on the back nine.

“When I get in that mode, it honestly feels like nothing over those mid-range putts,” Richey said. “I just try to start them on line, and then when they start going in, it’s fun. I can’t really explain it.”

Savoie, the local favorite from La Prairie, Quebec, gave the crowd plenty to be happy about with six birdies on each side.

“My mindset was in the right spot, and I was able to feed off it,” Savoie said. “That’s something I’ve really learned about is how can I manage my energy level. {The crowd was} louder than I’ve ever had before. It was a very fun experience.”

The group tied for seventh at 10-under 200 includes Canadian Richard Jung, Australian Jason Hong and U.S. players Sam Choi, Carr Vernon and John Pak, who last month won the Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open presented by Brandt.

Jung shot his second consecutive 64 and moved into a tie for eighth, at 10-under 200. Jung birdied the first three holes and four of the first five and shot 30 on the front. A bogey at No. 12 slowed his momentum, but he birdied two of the final three holes.

“Everything clicked for me the first five holes, and then I think I got a little greedy,” Jung said. “That’s when a low number really came into my head and that’s when the brakes hit a little bit. I just told myself to get back on track and finish strong.”

Hong shot a 63, thanks to a stretch of six birdies over seven holes in the middle of the round.

“I had a stretch from hole 8 to 14 where I was making everything inside 15 feet, so that really helped,” Hong said. “At the end, it kind of leaked a little, but it’s good.”