Reno-Tahoe Open: Third-Round Notebook  PGA TOUR Staff RENO, Nev. -- Steve Flesch's rounds of 63-69-69--201 through 54 holes of the Reno-Tahoe Open have him in position to become the PGA TOUR's only wire-to-wire winner this year.  A strong front nine Saturday put John Merrick close to the lead. (Mike Ehrmann/WireImage)
• His five-shot lead is the largest 54-hole lead on the PGA TOUR in 2007. Previously, the largest 54-hole lead came at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship, when Tiger Woods led the field by four strokes heading into Sunday's final round. • This is the seventh 54-hole lead of Steve Flesch's PGA TOUR career. The only lead he was able to convert into victory came at the 2004 Bank of America Colonial, his last win on TOUR. • PGA TOUR rookie John Merrick is looking to add his name to a growing list of rookies making a splash on TOUR. While 2007 has been a good year for rookies on the PGA TOUR (five with earnings over $1 million), none have won yet, with the best finish being third (Brandt Snedeker at the Buick Invitational, Jeff Quinney at the FBR Open and Anthony Kim at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans). • Kevin Stadler, who was born in Reno, recorded a second straight 67 and finds himself near the top of the leaderboard through 54 holes and trying to lock up his first top-10 finish of the 2007 season. • Stadler is currently on the outside looking in regarding the FedExCup points list. The top 144 will make the season-ending playoffs, and Stadler is currently 157th. Stadler has had past success in Nevada, albeit not on the PGA TOUR. The former USC star captured the 2003 Nevada Open in Mesquite. • The stat that tells the tale this week is Greens in Regulation. Through 54 holes, Steve Flesch leads the field in Greens in Regulation with 81.48 percent (44 of 54). • Local favorite Todd Fischer, playing in only his third PGA TOUR event of the 2007 season, is in position to become the first sponsor's exemption to win a TOUR event since Jason Gore claimed the title at the 2005 84 LUMBER Classic. • The Reno-Tahoe Open has always featured some of golf's top young players, and four of its past champions were first-time winners. Through 54 holes, seven players find themselves in the top-10 and looking for their first PGA TOUR title. • Sunday's projection for strong winds could lead to a high final-round score for the winner. The highest final-round score by a winner on the 2007 PGA TOUR came at the WGC-CA Championship, when Woods carded rounds of 71-66-68-73--278 en route to claiming the title. |
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