Spieth birdies 18th to keep 1-stroke Travelers lead

Jordan Spieth watches his tee shot on the 18th hole during the third round of the Travelers Championship golf tournament at TPC River Highlands on Saturday, June 24, 2017, in Cromwell, Conn.
Jordan Spieth watches his tee shot on the 18th hole during the third round of the Travelers Championship golf tournament at TPC River Highlands on Saturday, June 24, 2017, in Cromwell, Conn.

CROMWELL, Conn. — Jordan Spieth continues to play just a little better than anyone else at the Travelers Championship.

The 23-year-old Texan closed with a 20-foot birdie putt for a 4-under 66 on Saturday, giving him a one-stroke lead for the third consecutive round at TPC River Highlands.

After predicting earlier that it would take a score of 16 under to win, the twotime major champion took a 12-under 198 total into the final round.

Boo Weekley was second after a 65. Weekley, 43, playing just in front of Spieth, birdied five of the last eight holes, basking in the chants of “Boooo! Boooo!” from the raucous gallery.

Spieth bogeyed Nos. 13 and 14, but matched Weekley with three birdies on the final four holes, capping it with the final shot of the round from below the hole.

Daniel Berger, looking for his second victory of the month, was three strokes back after a 66.

C.T. Pan (64), former Arkansas Razorback David Lingmerth (65) and Paul Casey (66) were 8 under.

Because of morning showers, the players went off in threesomes from both the first and 10th tees. But the breeze helped the greens dry out quickly and play faster than had been expected.

Spieth hit his first six fairways and got his first birdie of the day on the sixth hole, when he chipped in from 30 feet behind the green. He made another birdie on the next hole, before giving a shot back at No. 9. He repeated that pattern on the back nine, making birdies at 10 and 11 to go up by two strokes, then put his tee shot into the water at 13. He bogeyed that hole and 14.

But on 15, his chip from the greenside bunker landed inches from the hole and he had another birdie.

Bryce Molder (Conway) had a 66 and is 4 under going into the final round today.

WEB.COM TOUR

Thompson leads by 2

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. — Kyle Thompson shot a 7-under 64 Saturday at the Lincoln Land Charity Championship to lead Adam Schenk (65) and Tom Whitney (68) by two strokes.

Wes Roach had a career-low 9-under 62 and was alone in fourth at 14 under.

Thompson started out strong, with five birdies on the front nine. He added two more on the back nine and closed out his round with six consecutive pars to secure his two-stroke cushion.

Ethan Tracy (Arkansas Razorbacks), Matt Atkins (Henderson State) and Andrew Landry (Razorbacks) were tied at 7 under. Tracy had a 67, Atkins a 69 and Landry a 70 on Saturday. Taylor Moore (Razorbacks) shot a 6-over 77 and is even par.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

Broadhurst out front

MADISON, Wis. — Paul Broadhurst shot a 3-under 69 on Saturday at University Ridge to maintain a two-stroke lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ American Family Insurance Open.

Broadhurst followed birdies on the par-5 16th and par-3 17th with a bogey on the par-4 18th to finish at 12-under 132. The Englishman opened with a 63 on Friday. He won the Senior British Open and PURE Insurance Championship last year on the 50-and-over tour.

Lee Janzen and Scott Verplank were tied for second. They each shot 66.

Tournament host Steve Stricker had a 69 to join Fred Couples (68) and Gene Sauers

(66) at 9 under. Stricker is making his first start in his hometown event after turning 50 in February. He tied for 16th last week in the U.S. at Erin Hills.

Fellow Madison player Jerry Kelly was tied for 11th at 6 under after a 70.

Glen Day (Little Rock) shot a 69 and was 5 under.

Defending champion Kirk Triplett shot a 73 to drop into a tie for 41st at 2 under.

Nick Faldo was even par after a 73. He’s making his first PGA Tour Champions start since 2015.

EUROPEAN TOUR

Garcia, Bland share lead

MUNICH — Sergio Garcia carded a 5-under 67 to join Richard Bland in a share of the lead in the third round of the BMW International Open on Saturday.

Garcia, playing his first event in Europe since his Masters victory, and Bland of England settled at 13 under overall going into today’s final round on Munich’s Eichenried course.

Bland hit water on the 11th hole but recovered for his fourth birdie, and he followed up with an eagle on the 13th to move ahead.

Garcia stumbled with his second bogey on the 14th, but the Spaniard bounced back with birdies on the 15th and 17th holes, his sixth and seventh, to go level.

One stroke behind them was former joint leader Joakim Lagergren (69), who had four birdies after a bogey on the second hole.

Thomas Detry, his co-leader from Friday, had a 70 with two bogeys to join Andres Romero

(68) for a share of fourth place at 10 under.

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