Dragoo Tees Up One-Stroke Lead At Great Waterway Classic

DAVID DRAGOO HOLDS ONE SHOT LEAD HEADING INTO FINAL ROUND OF
INAUGURAL GREAT WATERWAY CLASSIC
 

2012 The Great Waterway Classic
Smuggler’s Glen Golf Course
September 6-9, 2012
Purse: $100,000 ($16,000 Winner’s Share)
Par 71 – 35/36
 

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD (Bold denotes Canadian)   
 

David Dragoo – Carefree, AZ – 64-65-71 (-13)
Eugene Wong – North Vancouver, BC – 67-66-68 (-12)
Daniel Im – La Mirada, CA 70-69-63 (-11)
Will Strickler – Dallas, TX – 68-65-69 (-11) 
Trey Denton – Madison, MS – 67-66-69 (-11)
Jaime Gomez – McAllen, TX – 63-68-72 (-10) 
Carlos Sainz, Jr. – Chicago, IL – 65-65-74 (-9)
Tyler Harris – Longwood, FL – 65-66-73 (-9)
Danny Sahl – Sherwood Park, AB 69-66-69 (-9) 

(September 8, 2012 – Gananoque, ON) – On a windy, rainy day when only 13 of 62 players managed to break par at Smuggler’s Glen Golf Course, David Dragoo of Carefree, AZ maintained the lead at The Great Waterway Classic after a solid round of even par 71.

Dragoo stumbled out of the gates with only his second bogey of the week on the par-4 first hole. The Georgia Tech graduate bounced back nicely with birdies on holes 2, 3 and 7.

“It was a battle out there today for sure,” said Dragoo, who suffered a double bogey on the 9th hole to finish his front 9 at even par. “I was really in survival mode today but I did hit some excellent shots and I’m excited for tomorrow.

Eugene Wong of North Vancouver, BC who is arguably the hottest player on the Canadian Tour with wins coming at the Canadian Tour Championship as well as the Vancouver Open (Vancouver Golf Tour), shot a third round 3-under 68. The former University of Oregon Duck is one shot back of Dragoo and gunning for his third win in as many weeks.

“My confidence is definitely high especially with the putter,” said Wong, who is four for four in made cuts on the Canadian Tour.  “I feel really comfortable over putts knowing that where I aim is where I’m going to hit it,” added Wong, who is known amongst his peers as a short game artist.

The round was Wong’s seventh straight of 68 or better on the Canadian Tour.

Daniel Im of La Mirada, CA had the round of the day, if not the tournament posting a remarkable 8-under 63, the best round of the day by five strokes. Im, who last won in 2008 on the Canadian Tour, got off to a hot start posting birdies on six of his first seven holes. A lone bogey on the par 5 18th coupled with another birdie and an eagle on his inward nine shot the UCLA product up the leaderboard.

“I got off to a great start, ” said Im. “That really set me up for the rest of the day.  I hit it really well and just tried to keep it in front of me out there.”

A number of players posted high praise for Im’s round on Twitter, including playing partner Mike Mezei who said it “may have been the best round I’ve ever seen,” and called the weather “heinous.”

Dallas, Texas’ Will Strickler survived an opening double bogey by going four-under on the back nine for a two-under 69, sitting tied with Im at -11. Madison, Mississippi’s Trey Denton and McAllen, Texas’ Jaime Gomez are tied for fifth at -10.

The final round of The Great Waterway Classic will begin at 8:30 AM with Wong & Dragoo teeing off in the final group at 1:00 PM.