Bradley (67) heats up, leads at cold Wells Fargo
Keegan Bradley did nothing special on the only easy scoring day so far at the Wells Fargo Championship, opening with an even-par 70 that left him around the cut line.
Since the conditions got tougher, Bradley has been the best player at TPC Potomac (Md.) at Avenel Farm.
Bradley shot the lowest score for the second straight day Saturday, a three-under 67 that gave him a three-day total of eight-under 202 and a two-shot lead over Max Homa in British Open weather on a U.S. Openstyle course.
About two inches of rain has fallen since Friday morning, yet the low-lying course near the Potomac River has held up well enough to avoid any delays in play. Temperatures dropped into the low 40s on Saturday.
“It felt like a Patriots playoff game out there in December,” said Bradley, who grew up in New England. “It was fun, but I’m glad to be done.”
Bradley was one of four players to shoot in the 60s. The scoring average was 73.7, the highest relative to par on the PGA Tour since the final round of the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot.
Jason Day’s retooled swing couldn’t hold up for a third straight day as he shot 79 to fall seven shots off the lead. The leader after 18 and 36 holes, Day began struggling with his driver before it spilled over to the rest of the bag. He found the same pond on consecutive holes — a driver that never crossed dry land on the par-four fourth, leading to triple bogey, and a three-wood that hooked violently on the fifth.
Homa shot a steady 71 while playing partners Day and Luke List struggled, finding fairways and hitting conservative approach shots for routine pars. Homa went from trailing Day by two to leading by two in a span of two holes that he played in even par. But consecutive bogeys on the back nine allowed Bradley to pass him.
PGA Champions
David Toms flipped the script at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic with a fourshot swing on the 15th hole and closed with pars for a one-under 71 that gave him a two-shot lead over Ken Duke going into the final round in Duluth, Ga.
Toms was in danger of falling two shots behind when his long birdie putt on the 14th went past the hole and nearly off the green. He made the 12-footer for par, and then seized on a triple bogey by Duke on the next hole.
Ernie Els finished with three birdies over his last five holes on the front nine for a 68. He was part of the group four shots behind that included Jay Haas (69), Fred Couples (70) and Monday qualifier Mark Walker.