Cox Classic: Not a two-man race

Nine players are within two shots of the lead, so Cox Classic co-leaders Michael Sim and Jonas Blixt aren't lulled into believing they're in a duel in today's final round.

But with Sim the star of this year's Nationwide Tour and a win away from the PGA Tour, Blixt figures he has to beat Sim first.

“He's been here before. He's won twice and been in a playoff,'' Blixt said. “He's a good player, a very good player.

“I know he's not going to shoot over par tomorrow. He isn't likely to shoot less than 3 under. So I have to go deep to stay with him and maybe beat him.''

When Sim and Blixt tee off at 12:40 p.m. at Champions Run, they will start at 15 under par.

“Someone is going to get to 20, but if the wind was like today maybe not,'' Sim said. “I know I'm playing well. Putting is one of the strong parts of my game, and I figure I can make a lot of birdies.''

Also chasing the title and the $130,500 first-place money are Tom Gillis, Brent Delahoussaye and Rich Barcelo at 14 under and Chris Tidland, Tadd Fujikawa, Matt Every and J.J. Killeen at 13 under.

Former Omahan Brady Schnell is at 11 under, capable of a top-25 finish and parlaying his sponsor's exemption into a spot in the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational next weekend in Columbus, Ohio.

Sim had his first bogey-free round of the week, making birdies on the fourth and 11th holes and an eagle on the par-5 10th for a 4-under 67. Blixt, a co-leader after the second round, had a more adventuresome round of three birdies, three bogeys and an eagle 2 on the fourth hole for a 69.

Sim said he got a good read on the 10th green from Fujikawa, who putted for eagle first. Otherwise, he said, he might have missed his putt 2 feet left.

“There's been a few holes I haven't taken advantage of, 9 and 17, and I'll be looking at attacking those,'' said Sim, 24, a Scottish-born resident of Australia.

He said he stayed patient when he wasn't making under-par scores at the same clip he did in the first two rounds, seven birdies a day.

He has worked with Angela Pampling, a sports psychologist whose husband is pro golfer Rod Pampling, on his mental game as recently as last Monday and said he planned to get a refresher from her in a phone call Saturday night.

Blixt, 24, a Swede who never was out of the lead on the back nine, survived another trek into the undergrowth on the 14th hole. He played his second shot left-handed and took a bogey.

“I played worse yesterday than today,'' he said. “It wasn't too great today on the back nine. I didn't make too many putts.''

Gillis, 11th on the money list, shot his second consecutive 67. Delahoussaye and Barcelo had 68s.

Killeen, the other second-round co-leader, didn't have a birdie after the fourth hole in shooting 71.

Every overcame a triple bogey on the first hole and posted 70. Tidland had one of the day's four 65s.

Fujikawa stayed two strokes off the lead with a birdie on 18 for a 69. The 18-year-old Hawaiian, a sponsor's exemption who would be the Nationwide Tour's youngest winner, saved par on the hole before after hitting his second shot to the par-5 layout into the water.

“It wasn't a very good round,'' he said. “Pretty much the whole round I didn't make any putts, until the last two holes.''

Contact the writer:
444-1041, stu.pospisil@owh.com