By Rich Brown
rbrown@joplinglobe.com
MIAMI, Okla. — Martin Flores did what he said a golfer should do Saturday as he moved in front of the field after the third round of the NGA Hooters Buffalo Run Casino Classic.
The quiet Texan wrestled the lead from Edmond’s Rhein Gibson, who held it the first two rounds but failed to live up to Flores’ advice on Saturday, turning in a 4-over-par 76 after taking a three-stroke lead the day before.
The Dallas man’s advice was simple enough.
“You try to capitalize on opportunities when you can,” said Flores, who stood third after Friday’s round but claimed a one-shot lead of 201 Saturday with a 66. His two previous rounds have been 65 and 70.
Gibson dropped into a bottleneck tie for ninth at 207 with eight others going into today’s final 18 holes at the Peoria Ridge Golf Club. The four-day event began with 146 players but was cut to 71 — 1-under-par 143 — to advance to the final two rounds.
Tee times for today’s fourth round begin at 7:30 a.m., with the leaders to go off at 9:09.
Gibson, whose 66-65-131 was good enough for a three-stroke lead after Friday, struggled with six bogeys on Saturday after scoring only two the entire first two rounds.
Although Flores had one bogey, he added five birdies and an eagle.
“I chipped in on the 17th hole (par-4) for the eagle,” he said. “I was probably 20 yards from the pin in the rough and I hit a nice little pitch. It hit where I wanted it to go on the fringe, then trickled and died right in the center of the cup.”
Flores’ confidence was obvious when talking about his play in today’s finale.
“I am very happy and my game feels really tight,” he said. “I feel like I have a lot of command over my shots.”
Joey Lamielle, who went from a sole hold on second place to a four-way tie for second at 202, shot a 68 to go with a pair of 67s.
“I am right on schedule,” said Lamielle, from Sarasota, Fla. “I put myself right where I want to be and I am in striking distance.”
Tied with Lamielle are Cody Freeman, Edmond; Rick Cochran, Paducah, Ky.; and Joe Affrunti, Crystal Lake, Ill.
The leading money winner on the tour, Ted Potter from Silver Springs, Fla., made one of the biggest jumps on the leaderboard, going from a tie for 15th to sixth place with a 203 mark. He tied with Cochran and Affrunti for the low score of 65 for the day.
Adam Meyer, Fort Worth, Texas, and Brian Carroll, another Crystal Lake golfer, ended seventh and eighth, respectively.
Affrunti had one of the most remarkable rounds of the day. The Illinois player had nine birdies and no bogeys going into the final hole.
“I had a perfect round going,” he said. “Then, I hit a ball that was unplayable on 18 and I ended up taking a 6 (a double bogey).”
Freeman, a northeast Oklahoma man who moved to Edmond last year, shot his second straight 66 on Saturday (after opening with a 70) and went from a fourth-place to a second-place tie.
“I had seven birdies and one bogey, and I’ll take another one of those 66s on Sunday and we’ll see how it goes,” said Freeman, father of two young boys who gave credit to his own dad for teaching him how to play the game.
He added that it would be nice if his dad could be there for today’s final round on Father’s Day.
“My dad and I played a ton of golf when I was growing up,” he said. “He is a good golfer and he has always been the person who has been there to help me with my swing all along the way. We have a great relationship.”
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