Holmgren Follows 63 with 64, Leads Visa Argentina Open by 1

National

BUENES AIRES PROVINCE, Argentina -- Van Holmgren made eight birdies and one bogey on Friday at Olivos Golf Club, which was good for a 7-under-par 63 and moved him up into a five-way tie for fifth place, at 130, in the 117 Visa Argentina Open.

On Saturday, he was in position for an even better score when he birdied the 10th hole to go 6 under for the day. At that point, he had made four birdies, plus an eagle at the 511-yard, par-5 eighth hole. Bogeys at the 12th and 14th holes (both par 4s) didn't help the cause, but he concluded the round with a birdie at the 503-yard, par-5 18th hole, for a third-round 64, and that was good enough to give him a one-stroke lead going into the final round of the tournament.

The former Minnesota State Amateur, State Open and state high school champion set a 54-hole record of 194 (-16). Jose Coceres established the old record of 197 at Hurlingham Club in 1988. 

Holmgren was 5 feet, 7 inches tall when he first qualified for the state high school tournament as an eighth-grader. He was 6-7 when he won it as a senior at Wayzata HS. Two years ago, he was 6-8, which made him the tallest player ever to be a regular member on the PGA Tour Canada, but he didn't have a good year and lost his exempt status. Last fall, he played well enough to reach the PGA Tour/Korn Ferry Q-School Final Stage, but he posted three 70s and a 73 on two par-70 courses and tied for 72nd. That gave the 24-year-old former Florida Gulf Coast University star some status on the Korn Ferry Tour this year, but it's limited status.

This is the second tournament he's played this year. He missed the cut in the first one, the Astara Golf Championship last week in Bogota, Colombia. But a high finish this week in Argentina would be beneficial financially, and more important, it would also improve his Korn Ferry status for the 2024 season.  

There was a moderately successful musical group in the 1960s called The Journeymen, and that could also be the name for the posse that will be in pursuit of Holmgren on Sunday.  

Kris Ventura, a 29-year-old Norwegian who was born in Mexico and has won twice on the Korn Ferry, is in second place, one behind at 195, thanks to a nice progression of 66-65-64.

Right behind him in third at 196 is Dalton Ward, 32. He's played in four events on the PGA Tour, 25 on the Korn Ferry and 37 on PGA Tour Canada, and made the cut in 31 of those 66 tournaments, earning barely more than $95,000 in the process. But he's playing well this week, having followed an openiing round of 68 with a pair of 64s.  

There is a three-way tie for fourth at 197, and it includes Ryan Blaum, a 40-year-old with 11 victories as a profesional. He was the PGA LatinoAmerica Order of Merit winner in 2013. On Thursday, he set the tournament and course record at Olivos with a 62. He added a 66 on Friday and a 69 on Saturday.

If you're looking for a cautionary tale, it's Kyle Westmoreland. He was a star at the Air Force Academy, then served a five-year tour of duty before beginning his professional golf career. Now 32, he was tied with Blaum for the 36-hole lead at 128 (65-63), but he shot 74 on Saturay and dropped 26 places into a tie for 27th at 202.  

117 Visa Argentina Open presented by Marco

At Olivos Golf Club

Par 70, 6,795 yards

Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Third-round results 

1. Van Holmgren                        67-63-64--194 (-16)

2. Kris Ventura                             66-65-64--195

3. Dalton Ward                             68-64-64--196

T4. Ryan Bllaum                           62-66-69--197

T4. Brian Campbell                       64-67-66--197

T4. Brendon Jelley                        67-63-67--197

What it took to make the cut  -- 136

Thomas Longbella                       69-70--139

Frankie Capan                              72-70--142