Sat Apr 5 19:17:15 2008

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Wagner remains in front at Houston Open

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Humble, TX (Sports Network) - Johnson Wagner posted his second straight three- under 69 Saturday and leads by one stroke after three rounds of the Houston Open.

Wagner, who is looking for his first PGA Tour win, completed 54 holes at 15- under-par 201. If he can hang on for the win, he will also earn his first invitation to The Masters.

"It's hard not to think about it but, you know, I'm not too worried about it," said Wagner of the Masters. "If I were to win here, then obviously that would be just an incredible bonus.

"I was definitely nervous starting the day. I had some good chances early, putts weren't really falling and I made a bad bogey on five, but I just really held it together nicely."

His top-three chasers are also trying to earn Masters invites.

Chad Campbell, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, fired a seven-under 65 to move into second place at minus-14.

Bob Estes has played The Masters eight times, but hasn't been there since 2004. A win this week at Redstone Golf Club would change that.

Estes fired an eight-under 64 Saturday to jump into a share of third at 12- under-par 204. He was joined there by Charley Hoffman (69).

Wagner parred three straight to open the round before a two-putt birdie on the fourth. He gave that shot right back with a bogey on five, then he parred the next three. At that point, he was joined in the lead by Estes and Campbell.

Campbell, who beat Wagner by one at the Viking Classic last fall, was on fire early. He flew up the leaderboard with four birdies in the first six holes to jump to 11-under and within one of the lead.

After a bogey on the seventh, Campbell spun his third shot at the par-five eighth back into the cup for eagle to gain a piece of the lead at 12-under.

Estes joined them there with birdies streaks. He ran off three birdies in a row from the second, then dropped in back-to-back birdies from the seventh to get to nine-under.

Around the turn, Estes again notched three straight birdies from the 11th to grab a brief share of the lead at minus-12. He closed with five straight pars, though.

Wagner reclaimed the top spot on the leaderboard at minus-13 with a birdie putt at nine from just outside 15 feet. Campbell joined him there with a seven-foot birdie putt on 10.

The 28-year-old Wagner poured in back-to-back birdie putts from the 11th, but couldn't shake Campbell.

Campbell birdied 12 and 13 to remain tied for the lead at 15-under. He parred the next three, but could not save par from a greenside bunker at the 17th. Campbell parred the last to end one back.

"I played really well yesterday and it carried over into today," Campbell said. "Got off to a great start there on the front-nine. Three out of the first four holes I made birdie and kind of kept it going. Gave myself quite a few opportunities and was able to make some of the putts."

Wagner two-putted for par on five straight holes from the 13th. At the last, He blasted from a greenside bunker to six feet and sank that putt for par.

"I got a couple of great breaks off the tee on the par-fives on the back nine," stated Wagner. "I think I hit a spectator and kept it in play.

"Knocked it off a tree, and it came back into play. I had some lucky breaks, but I've had a enough bad breaks not to feel bad about the good ones. It was a great day."

Reigning U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy fired a six-under 66 to move into fifth place at 10-under-par 206. Mathew Goggin is one stroke back at minus- nine after an even-par 72.

Steve Stricker (66), Brett Quigley (68) and Lucas Glover (70) share seventh at eight-under-par 208. K.J. Choi, Fred Couples, Billy Mayfair, Ben Crane, Aaron Baddeley, Bart Bryant and Ryan Armour are one back at minus-seven.