Staff file photo by Erin O. Smith / Gibby Gibert III lines up a shot on the putting green at Eagle Bluff golf course in the Harrison area this past January.CALGARY, Alberta - Ooltewah's Gibby Gilbert III is playing golf in Canada this Labor Day weekend - and he's getting plenty of work done.
Gilbert avoided bogeys Saturday on his way to a 7-under-par 63 in the second round of the PGA Tour Champions' Shaw Charity Classic and was part of a large group tied for fifth and three shots out of the lead.
The 53-year-old former Tyner and University of Tennessee golfer was at 7-under 133 overall after making birdies on Nos. 1, 4, 6, 9, 10, 14 and 17 for the day's low round at Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club.
With a round to go, Steve Flesch (68) led by a stroke at 10 under, with Tom Gillis (64) and Wes Short Jr. (67) tied for second and Tom Byrum (69) fourth. Gilbert was level with Billy Andrade (69), Michael Bradley (72), Ken Duke (68), Scott McCarron (69), Corey Pavin (67) and Tim Petrovic (69).
In his first year of full exemption on the 50-and-older tour, Gilbert's best finish so far is a share of 16th at last weekend's Boeing Classic. His earnings of $131,490 rank 68th in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup standings.
Long week behind but one round remains
CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland - Rory McIlroy admitted fatigue at the end of a busy week - which he started on one side of the Atlantic Ocean and finished on the other - after dropping shots late in the third round of the European Masters on Saturday at Le Golf Club de Crans-sur-Sierre.
Argentina's Andres Romero shot a 4-under 66 during another warm day on the Severiano Ballesteros Course, offsetting a pair of bogeys and one double with six birdies and an eagle to move to 14-under 196 overall and take a one-stroke lead over Australia's Wade Ormsby (67) into the final round. Romero, 38, is seeking his third European Tour title, with a decade separating his first two: The Players Championship of Europe in 2007 and the 2017 BMW International Open.
England's Tommy Fleetwood (68) and 36-hole leader Gavin Green (69) of Malaysia were tied for third at 12 under, with Northern Ireland's McIlroy - who bogeyed his opening hole Saturday, plus the 14th, 17th and 18th in a round of 69 - tied for sixth with South Africa's Christiaan Bezuidenhout (65), Italy's Lorenzo Gagli (67) and Finland's Kalle Samooja (62) at 11 under.
McIlroy, No. 2 in the World Golf Ranking, won the PGA Tour's $15 million FedEx Cup last Sunday in the Tour Championship at Atlanta's East Lake Golf Club. He and other contenders played 31 holes the final day of that event, and McIlroy acknowledged feeling "a little flat" near the end of Saturday's round in the Swiss Alps.
Harris English shares 10th midway through
Former Baylor School and University of Georgia golfer Harris English was tied for 10th and six shots out of the lead halfway through the season-ending Korn Ferry Tour Championship at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Indiana.
English followed his opening 1-under 71 with a bogey-free 67 and was tied with 11 others.
Chris Baker held a two-stroke lead at 12 under after a second-round 69, with Lanto Griffin (65) and Tom Lewis (66) tied for second.
Stephan Jaeger, a former Baylor and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga golfer, followed an opening 74 with a 70 to make the cut on the number at par.
Yealimi Noh up by three
PORTLAND, Ore. - Monday qualifier Yealimi Noh shot an 8-under 64 for a three-shot lead heading into the final round of the LPGA Tour's Portland Classic.
The 18-year-old Noh, who turned down an offer to play for UCLA and instead turned professional in February, made eight birdies and moved to 19-under 197 at Columbia-Edgewater Country Club. Noh is playing in her seventh event on the tour this year. Her best finish so far is a tie for sixth at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic.
Australia's Hannah Green was second after a 73. Brittany Altomare (68) and Canada's Brooke Henderson (67) were tied for third at 14 under.