HONOLULU - Matt Every was more comfortable with a golf club in his hand instead of a microphone.
Starting to feel nerves from his rare position atop the leaderboard, Every steadied himself after a sluggish start and birdied his final hole Saturday at Waialae Country Club for a 2-under-par 68, leaving him tied for the lead with 47-year-old Jeff Maggert at 12-under 198 going into the final day of the Sony Open.
Maggert, who missed part of last season after surgery on his right shoulder, eagled the par-5 ninth hole for the second straight day and shot a 64 for his first good chance at winning in nearly six years.
Article Photos
Jeff Maggert hits a shot on Waialae Country Club’s 16th fairway during the third round of the Sony Open on Saturday.
AP photo
Johnson Wagner (66), Charles Howell III (66) and Brendon de Jonge (67) were at 200.
Every was honest to a fault on Friday while discussing his PGA Tour suspension as a rookie in 2010 after he was arrested on a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge during the John Deere Classic. He looked uncomfortable when the topic was raised in a Golf Channel interview moments later.
Every attributed a tough night of sleep to his two-shot lead, figuring he had more to lose than to gain, but when he arrived at the course, he felt as calm as the conditions.
"I actually enjoyed myself a lot today, which was kind of weird," Every said. "Because yesterday and going into today I was kind of dreading today. But then when I got out here, I was like, 'I'm so glad I get to play golf today.'
"If you play well not that interviews are bad," he said. "This is my first time really being in contention. I don't know what those guys go through every week. Now I'm starting to realize it."
Steve Stricker (67), coming off a win in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, was 8 under.
Oahu's Tadd Fujikawa (71) was at 206.
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PGA SONY OPEN
Saturday's Third Round
At Waialae Country Club
| Jeff Maggert | 69-65-64—198 | -12 |
| Matt Every | 66-64-68—198 | -12 |
| Johnson Wagner | 68-66-66—200 | -10 |
| Charles Howell III | 67-67-66—200 | -10 |
| Brendon de Jonge | 71-62-67—200 | -10 |
| D.A. Points | 68-69-64—201 | -9 |
| Duffy Waldorf | 69-66-66—201 | -9 |
| Scott Piercy | 69-68-65—202 | -8 |
| Ted Potter Jr. | 68-68-66—202 | -8 |
| Sang-Moon Bae | 68-68-66—202 | -8 |
| Stephen Ames | 67-68-67—202 | -8 |
| Steve Stricker | 66-69-67—202 | -8 |
| Harrison Frazar | 67-68-67—202 | -8 |
| Keegan Bradley | 67-67-68—202 | -8 |
| Spencer Levin | 67-67-68—202 | -8 |
| Sean O’Hair | 67-67-68—202 | -8 |
| Carl Pettersson | 65-67-70—202 | -8 |
| David Hearn | 66-66-70—202 | -8 |
| Brian Gay | 69-69-65—203 | -7 |
| Chris Stroud | 68-68-67—203 | -7 |
| Graham DeLaet | 63-72-68—203 | -7 |
| Ken Duke | 66-69-68—203 | -7 |
| Michael Thompson | 70-65-68—203 | -7 |
| Billy Mayfair | 68-67-68—203 | -7 |
| John Senden | 68-67-68—203 | -7 |
| Kris Blanks | 68-66-69—203 | -7 |
| Doug LaBelle II | 66-67-70—203 | -7 |
| Brendon Todd | 68-68-68—204 | -6 |
| Will Claxton | 66-69-69—204 | -6 |
| William McGirt | 67-67-70—204 | -6 |
| Kyle Stanley | 66-68-70—204 | -6 |
| Bud Cauley | 66-68-70—204 | -6 |
| Pat Perez | 66-67-71—204 | -6 |
| Joe Ogilvie | 71-68-66—205 | -5 |
| George McNeill | 69-70-66—205 | -5 |
| Jhonattan Vegas | 67-71-67—205 | -5 |
| K.J. Choi | 65-73-67—205 | -5 |
| Daniel Summerhays | 69-69-67—205 | -5 |
| Corey Pavin | 70-67-68—205 | -5 |
| Chris DiMarco | 70-65-70—205 | -5 |
| Tom Pernice Jr. | 69-70-67—206 | -4 |
| Kevin Chappell | 72-67-67—206 | -4 |
| Rory Sabbatini | 67-71-68—206 | -4 |
| Colt Knost | 66-71-69—206 | -4 |
| J.J. Killeen | 68-69-69—206 | -4 |
| Bobby Gates | 68-68-70—206 | -4 |
| Josh Teater | 69-67-70—206 | -4 |
| Jerry Kelly | 70-66-70—206 | -4 |
| Tadd Fujikawa | 69-66-71—206 | -4 |
| Gavin Coles | 69-66-71—206 | -4 |
| Jonas Blixt | 72-67-68—207 | -3 |
| Chris Kirk | 69-70-68—207 | -3 |
| John Rollins | 70-68-69—207 | -3 |
| Greg Owen | 69-69-69—207 | -3 |
| Brian Harman | 72-66-69—207 | -3 |
| John Huh | 72-65-70—207 | -3 |
| Harris English | 67-70-70—207 | -3 |
| Tommy Biershenk | 71-66-70—207 | -3 |
| Koumei Oda | 72-65-70—207 | -3 |
| Stewart Cink | 70-66-71—207 | -3 |
| Jeff Overton | 69-70-69—208 | -2 |
| Justin Leonard | 71-68-69—208 | -2 |
| Webb Simpson | 66-72-70—208 | -2 |
| Tim Herron | 68-71-70—209 | -1 |
| Jarrod Lyle | 69-70-70—209 | -1 |
| Erik Compton | 71-68-70—209 | -1 |
| Vijay Singh | 71-67-71—209 | -1 |
| Seung-yul Noh | 66-72-71—209 | -1 |
| Zach Johnson | 72-65-72—209 | -1 |
| Roberto Castro | 67-69-73—209 | -1 |
| Made cut, will not finish | ||
| Billy Hurley III | 68-71-71—210 | E |
| Chad Campbell | 70-69-71—210 | E |
| Alex Aragon | 69-70-71—210 | E |
| Ryuji Imada | 71-68-71—210 | E |
| Jason Kokrak | 69-70-72—211 | +1 |
| Tadahiro Takayama | 70-69-72—211 | +1 |
| Alexandre Rocha | 70-69-72—211 | +1 |
| Nathan Green | 69-69-74—212 | +2 |
| Tommy Gainey | 73-66-75—214 | +4 |
| Steve Wheatcroft | 69-68-77—214 | +4 |
