Thomas Ponder (Dothan, Alabama) carded a bogey-free 7-under 65 to take the 54-hole lead at the Commissionaires Ottawa Open presented by Lépine Apartments. Ponder will carry a one-stroke lead into the final round over the trio of Mateo Fernández de Oliveira (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Luis Gagne (San José, Costa Rica), and Omar Morales (Puebla, Mexico) at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ontario.
Ponder, winner of last week’s Explore NB Open, is bidding for back-to-back victories and to become the first player with multiple wins on Tour this season. Ponder jumped to the top of the PGA TOUR Americas Points off the strength of his victory, as well as his tour-leading six top-10 finishes.
Fernández de Oliveira posted the low round of the day with an 8-under 64. He made the turn at 2-under after a bogey on the par-4 ninth. He bounced back with a birdie on the par-4 10th and went on to make five more birdies over his final six holes (Nos. 13, 14, 15, 16, 18).
Gagne, who stands No. 36 on the PGA TOUR Americas Points List, made five birdies on the day and punctuated his round with an eagle on the 555-yard par-5 18th en route to a 7-under 66.
Morales, who held the 36-hole co-lead, got off to a fast start, picking up four birdies on the front nine and a fifth on the par-4 11th. He stumbled on the par-4 15th with a double bogey and dropped another shot on No. 16 with a bogey. Morales was able to get a shot back with a birdie on No. 18 for a 3-under 69.
Canadians Brady McKinlay and Ashton McCulloch stand inside the top 25 through 54 holes at T17. McKinlay is seeking a second consecutive top-25 finish, following his T11 at last week’s Explore NB Open.
