Van Pelt shares PGA lead in Malaysia

• Tweet

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Defending champion Bo Van Pelt, despite a closing double bogey, shot 9-under-par 62 Saturday and shares the lead at the PGA's CIMB Classic in Malaysia.

Van Pelt, whose four professional wins include last year's CIMB Classic and last week's European Tour stop in Australia, had 11 birdies en route to a record-tying 62 at the MINES Resort and Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur. That pulled him to 16-under 197 for the tournament, tied with Robert Garrigus for first with one round to play.

Garrigus, the second-round leader, opened Saturday's round with two bogeys and ended up with six birdies and four bogeys on the day for a 69.

Chris Kirk came with a bogey-free 8-under 63 and is alone in third at 15-under with Brendon de Jonge (66 Saturday) and Jbe Kruger (69) tied for fourth at 14-under 199.

Tigers Wood had six birdies in his first eight holes that had him briefly in the lead but he was 3-over on the back nine and settled in a tie for 10th, five strokes off the pace.

Van Pelt was 4-under through six holes before running off five consecutive birdies. He added birdies at 16 and 17 and needed a birdie at the par-4, 447-yard 18th for a record-tying round of 59.

But his second shot ended up in a green-side bunker and his third was in the rough. His chip from there stopped 8 feet from the cup and he two-putted for a 6.