Bettencourt, Lepp share lead in Vancouver
Surrey, BC - Matt Bettencourt fired a four-under 68 Saturday to join James Lepp (71) atop the leaderboard after 54 holes of the Greater Vancouver Charity Classic.
Bettencourt and Lepp completed three rounds at 10-under-par 206.
Scott McNeil posted his second straight 70 and is alone in third at minus- nine. John Ellis (72) and Anthony Rodriguez (69) are tied for fourth at eight- under-par 208.
Bettencourt made the turn at seven-under after two birdies and a bogey over the first nine holes at Hazelmere Golf Club.
Around the turn, he birdied four of five holes
from the 10th to jump to 11- under. Bettencourt gave a stroke back on the par-three 16th before parring the final two holes.
‘This has probably been the best ball-striking week of my life and I’ve given myself a chance,’ Bettencourt said. ‘I just need to play my own game and not worry about anything else.’
Lepp, who won the 2003 Greater Vancouver Classic as an amateur, opened with a birdie on the first, but he tripped to a bogey at the fourth. Back-to-back birdies from the fifth moved Lepp to 11-under.
Birdies on the 10th and 13th moved Lepp well ahead of the field at minus-13. However, he bogeyed three of the last four holes to tumble back into a share of the lead after 54 holes.
‘It was awful,’ said Lepp of his finish. ‘I had the yips putting and couldn’t hit it straight. Other than that, it was great.’
Eugene Smith and Isaac Weintraub both shot six-under 66 to move into a share of sixth at seven-under-par 209. They were joined there by Luke Hickmott (68).
Kevin Pom Arleau, Scott Gibson, Michael Walton, Joseph Lanza and John Lieber are one stroke further back at minus-six.
Second-round leader Greg Machtaler, a tour rookie, struggled to a six-over 78 Saturday. He tumbled into a tie for 19th at four-under-par 212.
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