David Lingmerth’s lead at the Australian PGA Championship was wiped out by a brilliant 66 from Harold Varner III when the third round began in Queensland.
Swede Lingmerth had been a shot clear at RACV Royal Pines Resort after Friday’s 68, but could only reach the turn in level par today after following a bogey on the second with a birdie at the fourth.
That allowed Varner, who graduated from the Web.com Tour to the US PGA Tour at the end of the 2015 campaign, to join him on three under par with a flawless round.
The big-hitting American had birdies at the third, seventh and eighth on the way out, and carded a hat-trick of gains from the 14th on the way back.
That left he and Lingmerth a shot ahead of South African pair Dylan Frittelli and Zander Lombard.
First round leader Lombard and Frittelli both had a single birdie and bogey to be level par for the day through 11 holes.
Spain’s Pablo Martin Benavides was back in the group on level par after bogeys at his first two holes.
