Kimbell and Gardiner position themselves for one final push  PGATOUR.com Correspondent LAKESIDE, Calif. -- On a day when dialing up something low was an absolute necessity in the third round of the Nationwide Tour Championship at Barona Creek, two players with their backs pressed hard against the wall came up large.  Scott Gardiner carded a 63 that included two bogeys Saturday. (Rogash/WireImage)
And while Scott Gardiner and John Kimbell remain on the outside looking in at the Nationwide Tour's "THE 25'' with one round remaining in the 2007 season, at least they will be part of the PGA TOUR conversation when the final round begins Sunday at Barona Creek Golf Club. When Saturday's round began with ideal, sun-kissed scoring conditions, Gardiner and Kimbell were afterthoughts resting at 4-under-par 138. After signing their scorecards, they were transformed into a pair of upwardly mobile guys who performed at almost optimum efficiency on moving day. Gardiner, who entered this $775,000 event at No. 36 on the money list, carded an 8-under-par 63 that could have been better save for a pair of bogeys. Kimbell, No. 35, had an eagle and five birdies in his bogey-free 64. Basically they came out of nowhere to position themselves for a final-round charge. Gardiner is tied for ninth, four behind 54-hole leader Richard Johnson, who rallied with three birdies on the final three holes after making a quadruple bogey on the par-3 11th. He was handed the pole position when long-time Michael Letzig four-putted the 18th hole for a triple bogey. Kimbell is tied for 12th, five out. And there's no counting them out considering what happened to the last twosome on the 18th. Johnson made birdie and Michael Letzig, who led for the first 53 holes, four-putted for a triple bogey creating a four-shot swing. "I'm surprised to be where I am,'' Johnson said after posting a 16-under total of 197. Johnson was surprised. Gardiner was shocked when he sneaked a peek at the leader board following his round. "I didn't think I'd be there,'' he said. Kimbell, 38, is taking a different tack. He said he doesn't want to know where he stands. So his plan was add his strokes up at the end. If his total is good enough get him into "THE 25'' when the final putt falls, so be it. "I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself,'' said Kimbell, a rookie who broke through to the winner's circle in his sixth Nationwide Tour start. "I'm enjoying myself too much for all of that.'' He paused, fighting the urge to get ahead of himself. And he lost the battle as visions of playing on the PGA TOUR next year danced in the head of a guy who beat the bushes of the mini-tours until he made it through all three stages of the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. "That's where all of us want to be,'' he said of The Big Show. "But I've been so far away from it I really don't know how it works. But to get there would be amazing.'' Gardiner, 31, who hails from Liverpool, Australia, certainly shares those dreams. He played on the Australasian and European Tours before coming to America and the Nationwide Tour in 2005. "Yesterday I was 4 under and nowhere,'' he said. "I didn't have anything to lose. Now I'm looking forward to get out there (on the golf course). I'm due for a great round when I need it.'' Well, Gardiner did that Saturday. Why not go back-to-back? The 63 will force Gardiner to make another trip to the pharmacy to purchase another round of Epsom salts. He said his body has been aching for the last two months of the year-long grind. He decided to soak in Epsom salts for 90 minutes following Friday's round. "I felt a lot looser today,'' he said. "I'll take every shortcut to get the best out of myself.'' Gardiner also got the best out of the one club that has been holding him back, his putter. He has used the same one through 54 holes this week and professed he could not remember the last time that happened. "I think my caddie is surprised,'' he said. Especially since Gardiner used a broomstick grip when putting last week at the Miccosukee Championship. This week he's going crosshanded and also has resurrected a swing thought he said he "discarded three years ago.'' It's all part of his whatever it takes philosophy. His key Saturday was hitting it close. He jarred a 130-yard wedge for eagle on the par-4 ninth and his seven birdie putts added up to less than 30 feet. "I made all my four-footers,'' he said, smiling. Figures Kimbell was grinning too. "I putted very well,'' he said. "I didn't make everything, but it was an improvement. Maybe this will get my confidence going.'' Kimbell certainly could use a large boost. He was inside "THE 25'' for quite a while this season, but dropped rapidly when he missed eight cuts in a row. He put a halt to negative flow with a tie for 10th last week and, if nothing else, he put himself in a good spot to protect his position on the money list. Players who finish between 26th and 40th are exempted into the Qualifying Tournament finals. "That would be huge for me,'' he said. "I really don't need to be playing again in two weeks. I need some time off. Since this is my first year I didn't know how to schedule, what tournament to miss. People were telling me I need to take more time off, but I didn't know. "I didn't feel exhausted, but looking back I was doing some silly things mentally. So maybe I was exhausted.'' But neither Gardiner nor Kimbell will feel fatigued or achy when the bell rings Sunday. "I've got a chance,'' Kimbell said. "I sure couldn't say that yesterday.'' Said Gardiner: "I'm looking forward to going through the process.'' |
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