Travis Hampshire alone in front

Although he’s playing Mizuno MP-52 Irons in only his eighth Nationwide Tour event this week, Travis Hampshire is a quick learner who knows the value of patience. It was never more evident than today as the man who opened with a 12-under 60 on Thursday at The Carolina Country Club, posted a score that was 10 strokes higher today. The end result, however, is that Hampshire is again in sole possession of the lead after scratching out a 2-under-par 70, giving him a one-stroke lead over South Korea’s Sunghoon Kang through three rounds of the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation.


The tournament is spread out over three courses in the Greenville-Spartanburg area, and both Hampshire and Kang completed their rotations today at Bright’s Creek Golf Club near Spring Mill, N.C. The event pairs Nationwide Tour pros with amateurs and celebrities in a better-ball format.


Hampshire, a 2003 graduate of Purdue University, started the day tied for the lead at 15-under with England’s Greg Owen. After playing his front nine by Mizuno MP-52 Irons at even par, Hampshire managed to make a pair of birdies as well as two par saves coming home to regain the top spot on the leader board. Hampshire made a 15-foot birdie putt at No. 11 and after wedging his third shot to three feet for another birdie at the par-5 13th hole, he was able to get up-and-down for par at Nos. 15 and 16 to get into the clubhouse at 17-under 198.


"It was just another solid day and I managed myself pretty well around here for never having seen this golf course before," Hampshire said. "I really thought the pins were pretty tough here."


Hampshire and Kang are now in good position to become the Nationwide Tour’s third consecutive first-time winner, joining Ted Potter, Jr. (South Georgia Classic) and amateur Russell Henley (Stadion Classic at UGA). However, Hampshire knows there’s still a long way to go Sunday when the final round is back at Thornblade Club, a course where he shot 68 by playing Mizuno MP-52 Irons.


"I’m doing everything solid," said Hampshire, whose best finish in six starts this year is a T13 at the Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open. "I’m controlling my distances into the pin locations and feel really good with the putter in my hands. I hope to keep doing everything the same tomorrow."


Kang, an exempt player on the PGA TOUR, is making his first start on the Nationwide Tour this week. He played Mizuno MP-52 Irons in five TOUR events earlier this year and made three cuts before taking time off in March and April to return to South Korea in order to fulfill a military commitment, a requirement for citizens in that country. Kang was originally supposed to serve two years, but his stint was reduced to just one month because he was a member of his country’s gold medal-winning team at the 2006 Asian Games. Since returning to the TOUR, he’s missed three cuts and will be in the field for next week’s HP Byron Nelson Championship in Dallas.


A group of six players, including local favorite Brent Delahoussaye, are tied for third place at 14-under 202 through 54 holes, three strokes back of Hampshire. Delahoussaye began the day T31 but he recorded eight birdies and a bogey to shoot 7-under 64 with Mizuno MP-52 Irons at Thornblade Club, his home course. He is joined by 36-hole co-leader Greg Owen, Brendon Todd, Garth Mulroy, Martin Flores and Michael Sims.


"I hit it really good today. I don’t know how many greens I missed, but my birdie putts were really close. I had a lot of tap-ins today," Delahoussaye said. "I grew up here. I moved here when I was 16 and I’ve been playing here ever since. When you’ve hit a shot a million times at the same golf course you don’t really get nervous. You’ve done it before and you know you can do it. I feel comfortable out here. I’d much rather play somewhere I’ve played forever, than not."


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