Lucas Glover fired a four-under par 66 to grab a one-stroke lead after Saturday’s third spherical of the St. Jude Championship, the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoff opener.
The 43-year-old American, attempting to win for the second consecutive week, birdied 4 of the primary six holes on his strategy to ending 54 holes on 14-under 196 at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.
That put Glover, the 2009 US Open champion, one forward of countryman Taylor Moore, who shot 65, with England’s Tommy Fleetwood third on 198 after a 3rd straight 66.
“Scrappy could be how I might describe that day. Elements of it you could possibly take away the ‘S,’” Glover mentioned.
“It was a bit of little bit of smoke and mirrors at this time, simply to be sincere. I bought lots out of what I had.
“Brief recreation bailed me out lots early, and missed a pair putts I believed I ought to have made coming in. However I’m nonetheless in a great spot.”
Three-time main winner Jordan Spieth and fellow American Max Homa have been on 199 whereas a sixth-place pack on 201 included world quantity two Rory McIlroy, South Koreans Tom Kim and Im Sung-jae, American Patrick Cantlay, Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo.
Australian Cameron Davis shot a 3rd spherical 69 and he sits tied twelfth, whereas his countryman Jason Day hit 72 and is tied 63rd heading into the ultimate day.
The 70-player showdown will advance 50 to subsequent week’s BMW Championship, from which solely the highest 30 in season factors qualify for the Tour Championship in two weeks at Atlanta.
Glover, who snapped a two-year win drought at Greensboro final Sunday, had been within the high six in three of his 4 PGA begins final month earlier than his breakthrough.
“I’m going to wish extra of the identical,” Glover mentioned.
“I’m going to wish to make extra putts than I did coming down the stretch.”
Glover holed out from past 43 ft on the first, sank birdie putts of 16 ft on the second and 21 ft on the par-3 fourth then answered his lone bogey on the fifth, when he missed the inexperienced on his strategy, with an eight foot birdie putt on the sixth. From there he completed with 11 pars and a five-foot birdie putt at 13.
Moore shared the lead on the 18th tee however discovered a fairway bunker and wanted three to achieve the inexperienced, leaving himself a putt from slightly below 14 ft for par.
He got here up brief and a closing bogey left Glover alone on the high, however Moore was fired up for the closing drama.
“Simply actually stoked,” Moore mentioned.
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“I’m driving the ball properly, placing the ball within the fairway and giving myself probabilities, some attractiveness coming in on these greens, and I really feel like that has been the recipe.
Moore mentioned profitable his first PGA title in March on the Valspar Championship may assist him seize his second this weekend.
“With a win underneath my belt, simply extra mature and extra comfy in that scenario,” Moore mentioned.
“Get your self in place on the again 9 on Sunday, that’s all I can ask for. Wanting ahead to the problem.” 4-time main winner McIlroy fired a 68 to drag inside 5 whereas top-ranked Scottie Scheffler shot 71 to face on 204. McIlroy would overtake Scheffler for world primary with a victory if the American finishes tied for fifth or worse.
“Total I really feel like I’ve kind of been caught in impartial a bit of bit this week, and I’m nonetheless in an honest place,” McIlroy mentioned. “I really feel like I may catch fireplace and hopefully make a run.”
– Rose’s 61 ties report –
England’s Justin Rose, the 2013 US Open winner and 2016 Olympic champion, fired a bogey-free 61 to match the course report and stand on 204.
Rose received his eleventh profession PGA title, and his first in 4 years, in February at Pebble Seaside.
“I really didn’t realise 61 was the course report, however nice,” Rose mentioned.
“Good little bonus for the day.”
American Sam Burns aced the par-3 eleventh gap from 157 yards, his second profession PGA hole-in-one after an ace at this yr’s US Open. He shot 67 to face on 210.
Reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm, the season factors chief from Spain, fired a 67 to complete on 207.