SHANGHAI - Tony Finau struggled so often Saturday at the HSBC Champions that he was looking for a strong finish just to carry some momentum into the final round.
He got much more than he imagined.
Finau closed with three straight birdies for a 2-under-par 70 and kept his three-shot lead because of a late collapse by Justin Rose, who played the final two holes of his third round in five more shots than Finau required.
"There was no need to panic," Finau said. "Just play some good golf coming down the stretch, and I was able to do that."
Finau was at 13-under 203 at Sheshan International Golf Club in the year's final World Golf Championship. Tied for second with Rose (70) were reigning Masters champion Patrick Reed (70) and Xander Schauffele (69).
Finau was on the verge of falling three shots behind on the 16th hole after Rose had pitched to within three feet of the cup for a birdie and Finau hit a wedge shot that came up well short. But Finau rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt from off the green to stay within two shots, hit a tee shot that rolled to within 18 inches of the cup for a short birdie on the par-3 17th, then holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
Tommy Fleetwood (72) and Andrew Putnam (67) were tied for fifth at 8 under.
Champ in charge
JACKSON, Miss. - Cameron Champ shot an 8-under 64 to open a four-stroke lead in the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Champ has held at least a share of the lead all three rounds at Country Club of Jackson, opening with a 65 and shooting a 70 on Friday. Having averaged a field-best 306.7 yards off the tee, the 23-year-old PGA Tour rookie has hit 44 of 54 greens in regulation. On Saturday, he hit 15 of 18 and had just 25 putts.
He was at 17-under 199 overall.
Corey Conners (64) was in second. Shawn Stefani (68) and D.J. Trahan (67) - who won the event in 2006, when it was known as the Southern Farm Bureau Classic - were another stroke back in third.
Chattanooga's Stephan Jaeger (67) was tied for 19th at 7 under, and fellow Baylor School graduate Harris English (68) was tied for 36th at 5 under.
Norman Xiong, 19, who was tied with Champ for the second-round lead, had a 76 to drop into a tie for 36th at 5 under.
Jimenez on top
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Miguel Angel Jimenez shot his second straight 4-under 68 and had a one-stroke lead entering the final round of the PGA Tour Champions' Invesco QQQ Championship.
The 54-year-old Spaniard, who is second in the season points standings, has six victories on the 50-and-older tour, including major championships this year at the Regions Tradition and British Senior Open.
Three golfers - Stephen Ames (65), Michael Bradley (69) and Scott Parel (70) - were a shot behind Jimenez in the second of the tour's three playoff events.
The top 54 in the standings qualified for the event, with 50 players making the trip to Sherwood Country Club. The top 36 after this tournament will advance to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix on Nov. 8-11.
Tied in Taiwan
TAOYUAN CITY, Taiwan - Wei-Ling Hsu and Nelly Korda shared a two-stroke lead at 9-under 207 after three rounds of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship, with Korda shooting a 3-under 69 Saturday as Hsu settled for a 72.
Each is looking for her first LPGA title.
Five players were tied for third: Megan Khang (70), Jin Young Ko (69), Lydia Ko (72), Bronte Law (69) and Jodi Ewart Shadoff (73).