Dixie Amateur: Wells on top after leaderboard shake-up

Luke Wells (Springfield, Ohio) shot a 3-under 69 to take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Dixie Amateur at Eagle Trace Golf Club in Coral Springs, Fla.

Playing in the second-to-last group of the day, the Butler University sophomore was five shots behind overnight leader Mateo Gomez when the round started, but with the lead group faltering on Saturday, Wells found himself in the lead after 11 holes.

Two late birdies on 16 and 18 extended his lead to three shots at three under par through 54 holes.

Gomez, a PGA Tour caddie who works for Sebastián Muñoz, had a rough day, starting with a triple on the fifth hole. A double and five other bogeys led to an 80 which dropped him all the way down to a tie for 11th at 3 over par, six shots behind Wells.

Alstom Newsom (Chesapeake, Va.) of VCU, who co-led after round one, was set to be a beneficiary of Gomez’s struggles, but he too made a triple and a double and shot 78 to drop down the leaderboard.

Wells is the only player under par, with Larry Blatt (Chicago, Ill.) alone in second at even par after a third-round 72. The 33-year-old, who played college golf at Ole Miss and the University of Illinois, will play in the final group with Wells and Augusto Oliva of Argentina and Clayton State University.

Oliva is a part of a four-way tie for third at one over par, along with Marc France (Plantation, Fla.), Peter Bradbeer (Rosemont, Pa.), and Thomas Henson (Hermann, Mo.).