Kisner stumbles, but still shares lead

Canonsburg, PA – Defending champion Kevin Kisner dropped four hole span Saturday, but birdied the 17th to keep a piece of the lead after three rounds of the Mylan Classic.

Kisner managed an even-par 71 to finish 54 holes at 13-under-par 200. He was joined atop the leaderboard by Gary Christian (69) and John Mallinger (67). Mallinger led after the first and second round last week, but ended in a tie for third.

The trio set the tournament's new 54-hole scoring record, bettering by a single stroke the old mark that Geoffrey Sisk set last year.

If Kisner can come out on top on Sunday, he would become the first player in Nationwide Tour history to successfully defend a title.

Billy Hurley III carded a two-under 69 at Southpointe Golf Club and is one stroke off the lead at minus-12.

Kisner double-bogeyed the par-three third to fall out of the lead. He poured in three birdie chances in the next four holes to jump to 14-under, where he led by two.

Around the turn, Kisner birdied the 10th and 11th to extend his lead to four strokes. After bogeys on 14 and 15, he faltered to another double-bogey on the 16th to again fall one behind Christian.

Kisner came right back with a birdie on 17 to join Christian at minus-13. Before that duo could finish, Mallinger birdied the last to become the first player in the clubhouse at 13-under.

Mallinger had two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine. He eagled the par- five 11th, but tripped to a bogey on No. 12. Mallinger birdied 13 and 16 before his birdie at the last gave him a piece of the lead.

Kisner than parred the last to share the 54-hole lead.

"I was shocked when I was two-over early and I wasn't getting lapped. Nobody went really low," Kisner stated. "It was frustrating because I had a chance to run away from the field there for a minute.

"My tee shot on 14 rolled two inches in the rough and I had to lay up where you should be making birdie. I play the next three holes in four-over par. That's a five-shot swing right there."

Christian, who was in the last group with Kisner, birdied the second to move to 12-under. He struggled to three consecutive bogeys from the fourth to slide back to minus-nine.

The 40-year-old Englishman ran off four birdies in a row from the 11th to jump back to minus-13. Christian parred the last four holes to end alongside Mallinger and Kisner.

NOTES: PGA Tour veteran John Daly, who was playing his second straight Nationwide Tour event, withdrew during the third round with a hamstring injury...With bad weather possible later Sunday, tee times were moved up to 8-10 a.m. (et) with groups in threesomes off the first and 10th tees.