Sunnehanna lead goes to Chase Koepka entering final round

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — University of South Florida senior-to-be Chase Koepka trailed the leader by one after the first round, as well as after the second round of the Sunnehanna Amateur. He can now claim the lead fully to himself, and by two strokes, heading into Saturday's final round at Sunnehanna Country Club. Koepka, younger brother of current PGA Tour player Brooks Koepka, trailed opening-round leader Cody Proveaux of Clemson by a stroke after shooting 65 on Wednesday. University of Southern California sophomore Sean Crocker took hold of the second-round lead while Koepka posted 69. He, along with Vanderbilt's Hunter Stewart and Winthrop's Zach Seabolt, trailed once again by a single shot. But Koepka fired a steady, bogey-free 66 on Friday in the third round and now heads to the final day with a two-stroke advantage over Derek Bard and JT Potson. Meanwhile, Crocker struggled mightily on his opening nine making four bogeys. He rebounded with a one-under 34 on the back side, but now sits six shots back in a tie for 17th place after a third-round 73. Proveaux, on the other hand, is right in the mix tied for fourth place at seven-under. His third-round 68 has him just three shots back. Defending champion Will Murphy, a recently graduated University of South Carolina senior, has had a rough go of things in his attempt to defend. Rounds of 72, 74, and 73 have him in a tie for 80th place out of 89 players in the field this year. Murphy handed future LSU golfer Sam Burns a playoff defeat in the 2014 tournament. Burns is also back with a chance at redemption, but he too is far out of contention with 71, 71, and 72 to his name. The Shreveport, La. native is in a tie for 60th place. Behind Bard and Potson are three players tied for fourth at seven-under, including Proveaux, Auburn golfer Michael Johnson, and 2014 U.S. Public Links runner-up, and Texas Longhorn sophomore Doug Ghim. The lead pairing, featuring Koepka, Bard, and Potson, will tee of Saturday morning at 9:20 EST.