Springfield, MO – David Lingmerth fired a 7-under 65 on Saturday to move into a share of the lead after three rounds of the Price Cutter Charity Championship.
Lingmerth was joined atop the leaderboard by Scott Harrington, who carded a 6- under 66 in round three. They are tied at 17-under-par 199.
Andrew Buckle jumped from a tie for 22nd into a share of third with an 8-under 64. Nicholas Thompson (66) and Chris Wilson (65) joined Buckle at minus-16.
Camilo Benedetti matched the low round of the day with his 9-under 63. He stands alongside Michael Letzig (67), James Nitties (66) and Brian Stuard (69) in sixth at 15-under 201 at Highland Springs Country Club.
Nick Flanagan, who shared the second-round lead with Stuard, managed a 1-under 71 and slid into a tie for 14th at 13-under 203.
Lingmerth, who was in the fifth-to-last group, flew out of the gate with birdies on the first and second. He converted back-to-back birdie chances at four and five.
The 25-year-old sank a birdie effort at the par-5 eighth and came right back with a birdie on No. 9 to make the turn at 16-under.
Lingmerth parred the first six holes on the back nine. After stumbling to a bogey at the 16th, he birdied the final two holes to get in first at minus-17.
"It's tough to complain when you shoot 65, but I was a little disappointed with my back nine. I was struggling a bit off the tee, but I'm feeling good about things," Lingmerth stated. "I knew that 5-under wouldn't put me in the lead. I knew it would take 7-, 8- or maybe 9-under just to be in position."
Harrington, in the next-to-last group, also birdied the first two holes to move to 13-under. He tripped to a bogey on the par-3 fourth.
The 31-year-old ran off five straight pars from the fifth. He ended that run with birdies on 10 and 11.
Harrington drained three consecutive birdie efforts from the 14th to grab a piece of the lead. His tee shot at the par-5 closing hole found water, but Harrington managed to save par to end at 17-under.
"It was big. If I would have finished at 16-under, it wouldn't have been the end of the world, but you don't want to give one away at the last, especially a par-5. You want to be that last group. It's going to be fun," Harrington said.
NOTES: Stuard and Flanagan had been passed by 15 players before they teed off...Jimmy Brandt had a hole-in-one on the par-3 sixth...Ben Kohles, who won the last two events, will need a miracle to make it three in a row. He carded a 1-over 73 to slide into 63rd place, 13 shots behind the leaders.
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