Webb Simpson breaks out of crowd to take Colonial lead

FORT WORTH, Texas — Webb Simpson felt almost as if he had just played a round in a major after a steamy Saturday at Colonial.

For the 2012 U.S. Open champion, and pretty much everyone else at Hogan’s Alley, it was a mentally draining day at the traditional tree-lined course where temperatures were in the upper 90s, with a heat index of 108 degrees and wind gusting to 25 mph.

“There is so much thinking involved on every shot,” Simpson said.

Even so, Simpson shot a 3-under 67 to break out of a crowd and take the third-round lead.

At 9-under 201, Simpson was two strokes ahead of Paul Casey (68) and Danny Lee (69) after both of them made long birdie putts at the 18th hole. Stewart Cink (66) and Kevin Kisner (70) were three strokes off the lead.

“It was a good grind day,” Lee said. “It’s tough out there with the wind blowing sideways.”

Defending champion Jordan Spieth shot 68 to get to 4 under, even with caddie Michael Greller leaving the course after 11 holes because of heat exhaustion.

Part of a four-way tie for the 36-hole lead, Simpson went ahead alone to stay after consecutive birdies to start his back nine. He made a 6-foot birdie putt at the 387-yard 10th and a 12-footer at the 630-yard 11th before finishing with seven consecutive pars. PGA Tour-Colonial Invitational At Colonial Country Club Fort Worth, Texas Purse: $6.9 million Yardage: 7,209; Par 70 Third Round Webb Simpson Paul Casey Danny Lee Stewart Cink Kevin Kisner Jon Rahm Sean O’Hair Emiliano Grillo Bill Haas Jordan Spieth Sergio Garcia Scott Piercy Charley Hoffman Jonas Blixt Sam Saunders Whee Kim Graeme McDowell Brian Harman Brian Gay Scott Brown Kelly Kraft David Lingmerth Ricky Barnes Matt Kuchar Billy Hurley III Marc Leishman 68-66-67—201 69-66-68—203 70-64-69—203 68-70-66—204 67-67-70—204 66-69-70—205 67-68-70—205 72-69-65—206 69-69-68—206 70-68-68—206 69-66-71—206 68-66-72—206 72-68-67—207 70-69-68—207 71-70-67—208 68-70-70—208 66-70-72—208 69-69-71—209 69-69-71—209 66-72-71—209 65-73-71—209 71-72-67—210 75-68-67—210 70-72-68—210 72-69-69—210 69-72-69—210

It is on the second time in 12 years for the 54-hole leader at Colonial to have more than a one-stroke advantage.

Simpson leads after three rounds for the fifth time in his career, and first since the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in October 2013 that was also the last of his four PGA Tour victories. He lost in a playoff to Hideki Matsuyama at Phoenix in February.