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Hot start lifts McGirt to Riviera lead

William McGirt`s red-hot start at Riviera on Saturday saw the American seize the lead in the Northern Trust Open, where he`ll vie for his first US PGA Tour title on Sunday.

William McGirt`s red-hot start at Riviera on Saturday saw the American seize the lead in the Northern Trust Open, where he`ll vie for his first US PGA Tour title on Sunday.
The 34-year-old birdied the first three holes and five of his first six, finishing with eight birdies in his six-under par 65 for a 12-under par total of 201. McGirt had a two-stroke lead over George McNeill and Charlie Beljan. McNeill posted a third-round 66 and Beljan, who lost to John Merrick in a playoff here last year, posted a 68 for 203. It was a further stroke back to Brian Harman, whose 68 included an eagle at the first, and Jason Allred -- a Monday qualifier who followed up a second-round 64 with a 67 to stay in the hunt at 204. The lesser-known names on the upper reaches of the leaderboard had a bevy of big names well within striking distance in a group of seven players on eight-under 205. They included former Masters champions Bubba Watson and Charl Schwartzel, rising US star Jordan Spieth, eight-time US tour winner Dustin Johnson and early season sensation Jimmy Walker, who last Sunday notched his third win in eight starts at Pebble Beach. Cameron Tringale carded a 67 to join the group at eight-under, while overnight leader Bae Sang-Moon of South Korea got there with a one-over 72. Although Bae opened with a birdie, he struggled to build any momentum. A third birdie of the day at the par-five 17th got him back to even for his round, but he closed with a bogey. His playing partners in the last group, Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus, struggled as well. Three bogeys in a row at the seventh, eighth and ninth dropped Baddeley, although the Australian was able to mix three birdies with two more bogeys on the back nine to also post a one-over 72 that left him five shots off the lead. Garrigus`s challenge faded with back-to-back double-bogeys at six and seven and his two-over 73 left him in a group six shots off the pace that also included former world number one Lee Westwood, Australian John Senden and US veteran Jim Furyk.