Daly cards 7 birdies to move into the mix

John Daly had way more circles than squares in Saturday’s third round of the Sony Open in Hawaii to move into contention with a 6-under 64 to leave him just five shots off the pace of leader Chris Kirk.

Daly fashioned seven birdies and only one bogey — at the par-4 second — to move off the cutline in dramatic fashion to a tie for 18th. What makes this 18 even more remarkable was how up and down he was on Friday. He needed a 5-footer for par on Friday just to make the top 79 golfers in the field. The reason? On Friday, he had one eagle, three birdies, nine pars, two bogeys, one double bogey and one triple. A remarkable par save at the par-4 eighth was the key to his round. Daly got in on a sponsor’s exemption. In 2013, the 47-year-old played in 12 events, making the cut in four and earning $43,543.

Baby Isaiah goes home

Isaiah Tesori, an infant who has been on many people’s minds around the PGA Tour the past week, was released from the hospital Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla. Isaiah, the son of Paul and Michelle Tesori, suffered a seizure after he was born last Saturday. Paul caddies for Webb Simpson and the news shook the tour at last week’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions on Maui.

A message on the family’s foundation website Saturday said Isaiah had been discharged from Wolfson Children’s Hospital after passing all the tests doctors had given him. The family called it "perhaps the greatest moment of our lives."

2 Monday qualifiers move on

Two of the four players who survived the Monday qualifier at Turtle Bay made it to the weekend. Derek Tolan of Denver was the medalist in the qualifier and shot even-par 70 on Saturday to remain at 4 under, with Leilehua and Hawaii Hilo graduate Nick Mason caddying for him. Eric Dugas, a former pro at Kukio Golf Club on the Big Island, shot a 68 on Friday to make the cut. Dugas, who spent close to four years working on the Big Island before moving back to the East Coast, qualified on Monday with a 66.

Georgia rules at Sony

If Kirk holds off the pack within three strokes of him today — or if Harris English, who is one shot back, emerges from it — the Sony Open will have a Georgia Bulldog as champion for the second year in a row.

Russell Henley won by three strokes in 2013. He’s out of contention today, tied for 55th after three rounds. But another Georgia alumnus, Hudson Swafford, entered today at 7 under, tied for 18th.

"Bermuda grass, that’s about it," said Kirk, when asked why golfers from the Athens, Ga., school do so well here. He added, with a smile, "And there’s a lot of good players from Georgia."

Other Bulldogs playing today are Brendon Todd (tied for 13th at 8 under) and Brian Harman (tied for 27th at 6 under).

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