Spieth leads by a shot at Houston Open
HOUSTON — Jordan Spieth’s pre-Masters run of extraordinary golf continued Saturday as the 21-year-old Texas native shot a 5-under-par 67 to take a one-shot lead at the Houston Open.
Spieth sank a 41-foot birdie putt from just off the green on the par-3 16th to reach 14-under-par 202 in the final PGA Tour tuneup before the first major of the season, next week’s Masters. He’s coming off a title and a runner-up finish in his previous two starts, having climbed to No. 4 in the world golf rankings.
“Today was as comfortable as I’ve ever been with the lead on a weekend,” Spieth said. “I wanted to get into contention as much as I could prior to the Masters, to have as much experience as I could to limit those nerves. This feels really good. (Sunday) I’ll certainly have nerves, but hopefully I’ll give myself a chance to win. Then I’ll take even more confidence into next week.
“Anytime you can close out a tournament it’s going to be good for you the next time you tee up,” he said.
A victory today would allow Spieth to wrest the PGA point standings lead away from Jimmy Walker and further boost his confidence heading to Augusta National, where he came in second to Bubba Watson Houston Open leader Jordan Spieth says of the pressure for today’s final round: “I’ll certainly have nerves, but hopefully I’ll give myself a chance to win.” last spring.
Austin Cook, who got in through the Monday qualifier, is tied for second place at 203 with first-round leader Scott Piercy and Johnson Wagner, the tournament’s 2008 champion.
The 24-year-old Cook is still seeking his PGA Tour card. He finished the second round Friday with four consecutive birdies to catch Phil Mickelson for second, then briefly took the lead with a birdie on the eighth hole Saturday.
He had an up-and-down back nine, making a double bogey on the par-5 15th, but he reclaimed a stroke with a birdie on 17 and calmly sank a short putt for par to stay on Spieth’s heels.
Piercy had tied the tournament course record with an opening 63 but skidded to 74 on Friday, only to bounce back strongly with a third-round 66. Wagner posted a 67 to fight his way into contention.
Andrew Putman, the 36hole leader, struggled to a 75, falling five shots off the surging Spieth’s pace.
Mickelson birdied the first hole before coming apart. The three-time Masters champion also had a 75, leaving him four strokes back.
I didn’t play very well today,” the 44-year-old Mickelson said, admitting he would have “been in striking distance” if not for his dreadful finish. “The last three bogeys hurt. I fought hard all day without really playing well to keep it an even par, but the last three (holes) got me.”
Spieth has four top-10 finishes in five starts since missing the cut at Torrey Pines in early February but said he didn’t think he was on “a run.”
“Honestly, I look at this as the way I should be playing,” he said. “If I look at it as a run, it means the normal me is something less. I can’t think of myself that way.”
ANOTHER EVENT
LPGA ANA Inspiration at Rancho Mirage, Calif.: Sei Young Kim made two late birdies to take a threestroke lead.
The long-hitting South Korean player shot a 3-under 69 to reach 10 under at Mission Hills with a round left in the first major championship of the year.
Kim holed a downhill 18-footer from the fringe on the par-4 16th and made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th. She two-putted for par from the back fringe on the par-5 18th.
Stacy Lewis was second after a 68. She bogeyed Nos. 15 and 17 and missed a 6-foot par putt on 18.
Morgan Pressel, Brittany Lincicome and Ariya Jutanugarn were 6 under. Lincicome drove into the water on 18 and closed with a 70. Pressel had a 71, and Jutanugarn shot 66.
Lydia Ko shot a 2-over 74, her second straight over-par round after tying the LPGA Tour record for consecutive rounds under par at 29.