By the time Fresno State alumni Nick Watney finished dissecting Aronimink Golf Club Saturday afternoon, tournament leader Rickie Fowler hadn't even teed off yet. Watney fired a course record 8 under 62, shooting himself atop the leaderboard at the AT&T National. But most impressive of all, all his red numbers came on the back nine.
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↵Watney started off very slow, shooting even par on the front nine with little going his way. Then he stepped on the 10th tee and something seemed to just click. via PGATour.com:
↵↵↵↵↵"The hole looked really big on the back," said Watney. "The ball was going where I was looking, and by the time I looked up, I was 8 under."
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Watney dropped three straight birdies, then sank a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th. Watney showed some guts firing at the dangerous pin on the par-3 17th but stuck it to five feet for another birdie. Watney's 27 on the back nine missed the PGA Tour's nine-hole record by only one stroke.
↵Fowler, to his credit, shot a very impressive 64 to remain tied with Watney heading into Sunday's final round, setting up a shootout between two of the brightest young stars in the game. U.C. Berkeley alum Charlie Wii sits three shots back at 6 under par.