Rookies Henley, Langley lead Sony Open golf

HONOLULU, Hawaii (AFP) –

Russell Henley during the second round of the Sony Open in Hawaii on January 11, 2013. PGA Tour rookies Henley and Scott Langley continued to set the pace, sharing a three-shot lead after three rounds of the US PGA Tour Sony Open.

PGA Tour rookies Russell Henley and Scott Langley continued to set the pace, sharing a three-shot lead after three rounds of the US PGA Tour Sony Open.

Overnight leader Henley carded three birdies without a bogey in his three-under par 67 Saturday while Langley, the first-round leader, carded a five-under par 65 to grab his share of the lead on 17-under par 193.

They dueled for the lead during the round and finished the day sharing a 54-hole scoring record for the tournament, improving on the 194 set by John Huston in 1998 and equaled by Brad Faxon in 2001.

Henley and Langley, who tied for low amateur honors at the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach, will play together for the fourth straight day on Sunday.

“We’re just taking it all in and having a great time together,” Langley said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

South Africa’s Tim Clark during the second round of the Sony Open in Hawaii on January 11, 2013. Clark, aiming to rebound this season after a 2012 campaign in which he was hampered by injury, carded his second straight 66 for a 14-under total of 196.

Henley said he hoped he could stay loose for the final round, but that it would be only natural for some nerves to creep in. A hefty winner’s prize of $990,000 is on offer in the $5.6 million event, with an invitation to the first major of the year, the Masters, also at stake.

“I’ve never been in this situation before, but hopefully it’s real easy and I’m real relaxed and I don’t have any nerves,” said Henley, a two-time winner on the Web.com developmental tour last year.

“But I’m probably going to be nervous and probably just going to have to try to slow myself down, and just enjoy the day. It is a lot of pressure out here, even the first three days, so I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like.”

South Africa’s Tim Clark, aiming to rebound this season after a 2012 campaign in which he was hampered by injury, carded his second straight 66 for a 14-under total of 196.

Charles Howell, a two-time runner-up at the tournament carded a 67 on the par-70 Waialae Country Club course and was tied with Australian Scott Gardiner (65) on 13-under 197.

Langley, who started the third round two strokes behind Henley, pulled even with his fifth birdie of the day at the 10th.

He finished with seven birdies and two bogeys, twice pulling ahead of Henley who seized his share of the lead with a birdie at the par-five 18th.