Casey takes his best into Travelers final
CROMWELL, Conn. — Paul Casey has come close each of the three previous times he has played in Connecticut. He has a great chance to break through today in the Travelers Championship.
Casey shot an 8-under 62 on Saturday to take a fourstroke lead into the final round.
Casey, whose victory at Valspar in Florida in March was his first PGA Tour title in nine years, called the bogey-free round at TPC River Highlands his best of the year.
The Englishman had six birdies and an eagle — at the signature par-4 15th hole — where he hit his tee shot onto the green and then sank a 23foot putt. He broke out of the pack hitting all 18 greens and has a streak of 23 consecutive heading into today. He was at 16-under 194.
“It was clinical,” he said. “I did everything I wanted to do. I can’t do any more than that.”
Casey was second here during his first visit in 2015, came in 17th a year later and had a fifth-place finish in Cromwell a year ago.
Russell Henley was 12 under after a 67, and J.B. Holmes (65), Anirban Lahiri (65) and third-round leader Brian Harman (69) were 11 under.
Jason Day shot 66, and Bubba Watson 67, leaving them 10 under. Watson came from six back to the 2010 event and beat Casey in a playoff in 2015.
Watson would join Billy Casper as the only players to win this tournament more than twice. Casper won his fourth Connecticut title in 1973.
U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka shot a 69 to get to 4 under. Koepka said he plans to go right at every pin today, then take time off from golf before the British Open.
It was a bit of a squirrely round, quite literally, for Rory McIlroy.
His opening tee shot was delayed when a squirrel camped right in front of him in the tee box. McIlroy finally got the shot off, hitting it wide right and into the rough en route to a bogey.
McIlroy had an eagle at 15, but three-putted 18 for a bogey and a 69. He was tied for 15th place at 8 under.
Defending champion Jordan Spieth was 3 under after a 71. He opened 63-73.
David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) was 5 under after a 71. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) was 4 under after a 68. Ethan Tracy (Razorbacks) was 1 under after a 72.