Lee’s showdown with super-Spieth
Danny Lee’s top notch form shows no signs of abating after he scorched around Deere Run in nine-under par 62 to keep pace with superstar Jordan Spieth at the John Deere Classic.
Lee, who won the Greenbrier Classic last week for his first PGA Tour win, will be paired with thirdround leader Spieth in the final round today. He will start two back of Spieth after his 10 birdies and one bogey lifted him to 15-under par.
‘‘I feel very confident about tomorrow,’’ Lee said. ‘‘Jordan just played magnificent today. I think it’s going to be a fun day for us tomorrow.’’
Spieth shot a 10-under 61 thanks to two eagles, including a hole-out from the fairway on the par-5 17th. It has been a stunning form turnaround by the 21-year-old American, who was in danger of missing the cut until a string of birdies in the middle of the second round.
Some questioned whether Spieth should play in the US the week before the British Open at St Andrews, where he will have a chance to become the first player since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win the first three majors of the year.
But he had no hesitation returning to the course where he won his first PGA Tour title two years ago.
‘‘That turning point mid-round yesterday where I had a really good stretch to get inside the cut line is what really gave me a lot of confidence,’’ he said. ‘‘The hole looked a little bigger from there on in. In order to shoot a really low round you obviously have to have some putts go in from mid-range.’’
Americans Shawn Stefani and Johnson Wagner were tied for third at 14-under with Zach Johnson also in the mix at 13-under.
There was some frustration for Kiwi golf fans trying to watch Lee make his charge as the coverage cut out. The tournament was being streamed by the PGA’s online service but the feed dropped out at the precise moment Lee made a birdie charge on the back nine, leaving fans having to follow the Kiwi via the leaderboard.
Kiwi Steven Alker couldn’t capitalise on his good start, carding a third-round 70 to be nine shots off the pace in 18th place. Palmerston North’s Tim Wilkinson is tied for 45th after a 71 left him five-under par as he dropped three places down the leaderboard.