Jason Caron Leads Senior PGA Championship After Windy Third Round

BETHESDA, Md. — Jason Caron shot a 1-under 71 Saturday to share the lead at the Senior PGA Championship after three rounds at Congressional Country Club. Caron is tied with Retief Goosen, Angel Cabrera, and Phillip Archer at 5-under 211.

The third round saw challenging windy conditions that tested the 11 golfers at the top of the leaderboard, all of whom have a combined 13 major championships. Goosen led the co-leaders with a 4-under 68, citing the importance of experience on tough courses.

“All the guys that have really done it on hard golf courses really rise to the top,” Goosen said. “I certainly grinded it out today.”

Cabrera, who recently won a senior major, shot a 70, while Caron and Archer each carded 71. Third-round play left Stewart Cink and Lee Westwood one shot back at 212.

“You’ve just got to go out there and play shot for shot and see what happens,” Goosen added. “If you make a lot of birdies, great. If you don’t, somebody else here is going to, especially if conditions improve.”

Cink echoed the challenge of the course, stating, “This course is really demanding, with the wind especially. It feels like a major out there. It’s really challenging.”

Archer mentioned the mental aspect of competing against big names in golf, saying, “You’ve grown up watching these guys win tournaments and majors, and yeah, you’re in their company. And you’ve got to tell yourself you belong there.”

The forecast for Sunday expects calmer winds, raising concerns of a crowded leaderboard as players aim for low scores.

<p“I’m happy to be in contention, but if it’s a nice day, someone is going to shoot a good score,” Harrington said, touching on the competitive atmosphere that lies ahead.