Malnati leads by 2 in Ohio

Jun 14, 2015 - 1:47 AM Westlake, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Peter Malnati broke free from a crowded leaderboard Saturday as he grabbed a 2-shot lead after three rounds of the Rust-Oleum Championship.

Malnati ended 54 holes at 15-under-par 198 thanks to his second straight 67. His total of 198 smashed the 54-hole scoring record of 202 that Mathew Goggin and Whee Kim set last year. Malnati, who won the Brasil Champions earlier this year, will go for his third Web.com Tour win on Sunday.

Si Woo Kim fired a 9-under 62 to soar into a share of second place at minus-13. Kim, who matched Goggin's course record, was joined there by Michael Kim (66) and Shane Bertsch (68).

Patton Kizzire and Brian Richey both carded 68s to end three rounds at 12- under-par 201. Lucas Lee (63) and Dustin Bray (70) are tied for seventh at minus-11.

The second and third rounds were both completed on Saturday as storms halted play on Friday at Lakewood Country Club.

Malnati, who was one ahead of three players when the second round ended earlier Saturday, opened with a birdie at the first. He followed that with 10 consecutive pars from the second.

At the par-3 12th, he converted his second birdie of the day.

Malnati, who turned 28 years old on Saturday, moved to 14-under par thanks to a birdie at the par-5 14th. After a trio of pars, he closed his round with a birdie on No. 18 to end two clear of the field.

"I was a little erratic. I don't know if it was nerves or what. Obviously, you're not going to be on every day, but my short game was today and that was important. I missed a lot of greens today," admitted Malnati. "I knew at the start of the week that this is the style of golf course that I enjoy and the style that I play well on."

Si Woo Kim played the back nine first in round three and got off to a flying start as he poured in four birdies in a 6-hole span from the 10th. That burst moved him to 8-under.

Kim, who had missed his last two cuts, ran off five straight pars from the 16th. He birdied the third, then jumped to 11-under with an eagle at the sixth. Kim birdied two of his last three holes to grab a share of second.

Bertsch, a two-time Web.com Tour winner, birdied the first and followed that with four pars. He birdied the sixth, but tripped to a bogey on No. 8. He got that right back with a gain the ninth.

Around the turn, Bertsch climbed to 13-under with a birdie on the 12th. He closed his round with six straight pars.

Michael Kim parred six of the first seven holes to go with a birdie at the fourth. He picked up another birdie on No. 8 en route to making the turn at minus-10.

The 21-year-old birdied 10 and 12, then ran off five pars in a row from the 13th. Kim closed his round with a birdie at the 18th.

NOTES: Malnati is second on the money list behind Kizzire ... There was a 3- hour delay Saturday morning ... With more rain in the forecast for Sunday afternoon, tee times were moved up for the final round.