Hoey loses ground after putting struggles at Wyndham

MANILA, Philippines -- Rico Hoey’s bid to sustain his charge at the Wyndham Championship fizzled on Moving Day, undone largely by a balky putter that repeatedly betrayed him as he struggled to a one-over 71 on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).

After two impressive rounds that put him in contention for a breakthrough PGA Tour victory, the Filipino-American shotmaker could muster only two birdies at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, tumbling from joint fourth to a share of 21st with an eight-under 202 total.

The biggest culprit was his putting.

Hoey endured four three-putts, missed several makeable birdie opportunities and repeatedly failed to convert chances on a par-70 course that continued to surrender low scores to the leaders. His short-game struggles also prevented him from setting up enough birdie opportunities to offset his putting woes.

The result was a costly 17-place slide from within three strokes of the lead to eight shots off the pace, with Beau Hossler and Michael Brennan sharing the lead at 18-under 194 heading into the final round of the $8.5-million championship.

Hossler surrendered sole possession of the lead with a late bogey but still fired a 66, while Brennan charged into the lead-sharing position with a blistering 63.

Brennan bounced back from an early bogey on No. 2 with eight birdies, including a clutch 16-footer on the last hole that capped his brilliant round.

Tom Kim, who began his career in the Philippines by winning the national amateur championship before turning professional and claiming two Philippine Golf Tour titles, surged into solo third with an early 63. He stood at 195, just one shot behind the joint leaders.

Swede Alex Noren was another stroke back at 196 after a second straight 65, while Davis Thompson and Kevin Yu followed at 197 and 198, respectively, after identical five-under rounds.

The ICTSI-backed Hoey had hoped to remain in that group, but his putting problems surfaced almost immediately.

He missed a birdie putt from 11 feet on the opening hole and followed with three regulation pars before the first major setback came on the par-5 fifth, where he three-putted for par.

From 35 feet on the next hole, Hoey needed three putts and missed a five-footer for par.

He briefly regained his touch on the par-3 seventh, rolling in a 29-footer for birdie, but gave the stroke right back on the next hole after three-putting from 49 feet and failing to convert a five-footer for par.

He then missed a 14-footer for birdie on No. 9 to make the turn at one-over par.

The putting woes continued on the back nine. Hoey failed to convert an eight-footer for birdie on No. 10, then settled for pars on the next two holes before finally finding another birdie with an 11-footer on No. 13.

But he could not build on it.

Unable to consistently put himself in position for birdies over the next four holes, Hoey settled for routine pars before suffering one final putting setback on the 18th, where he three-putted from 53 feet to close out a frustrating round.

After the brilliance of his opening 36 holes, Hoey now faces a different challenge – regrouping quickly and salvaging a strong finish.

The final round offers him one more opportunity to erase the disappointment of Moving Day and regain momentum in his pursuit of a maiden PGA Tour victory.