Boise, ID – Jason Kokrak and Rahil Gangjee are knotted atop the leaderboard after the third round of the Boise Open at Hillcrest Country Club.
Kokrak birdied his first six holes on Saturday en route to an eight-under 63, while Gangjee had two eagles on par fours, but double-bogeyed the last for a seven-under 64.
The duo finished 54 holes at 14-under 199 and is one clear of several players in a jammed leaderboard. A total of 17 golfers are within three of the co- leaders, neither of whom has won on the Nationwide Tour.
Luke List (67), David Hearn (67), Martin Flores (67), Billy Horschel (68) and Troy Merritt (69) are knotted in third place at 13-under 200.
Chris Tidland (71), John Mallinger (65), Craig Bowden (65) and John Riegger (67) share eighth at minus-12.
Second-round leader Jonas Blixt had a rough day on Saturday. He struggled to a three-over 74 in round three and fell into a tie for 12th place at 11-under- par 202.
Kokrak was the first in the clubhouse at 14-under par, and it was due in very large part to his torrid start. He made six straight birdies, then stalled his momentum with a par at No. 7.
Kokrak bogeyed the par-three eighth, but got back to 12-under par with a 12- foot birdie putt at the 10th. He parred his next four, then rattled off back- to-back birdies at 15 and 16.
He parred out to get his share of first.
"Saturday's always moving day so I wanted to get out to a nice, hot start," Kokrak said in a televised interview. "Hopefully, we can do it again tomorrow."
Gangjee also started off well, but not "Kokrak" well. He birdied his first three and parred his next six. After an errant drive into the right trees at the short, par-four 10th, Gangjee chipped in for eagle to get to 12-under par for the championship.
Gangjee birdied 12 and 13, then recorded yet another eagle on a par four, this time at the 15th. The Nationwide Tour rookie was 16-under and alone in first, but trouble loomed at the last.
Gangjee split the fairway at 18, but slightly pushed his approach. The ball bounced off the grandstand and was near the putting surface. Gangjee's chip ran 15 feet by the hole, but the real error came when he hammered his par putt six feet past the cup.
He missed the bogey putt coming back and lost sole possession of first.
Gangjee needs a good week since there are five events left after this week and he's 102nd on the money list.
"I've been under pressure before in life," Gangjee said on TV. "If I do well this week, there will be no pressure."
NOTES: Kokrak and Gangjee missed the 54-hole tournament record by three.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.