PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Jordan Spieth had a performance that matched the magnificent views — finally — at Pebble Beach on Saturday. ADVERTISING PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Jordan Spieth had a performance that matched the magnificent views — finally —
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Jordan Spieth had a performance that matched the magnificent views — finally — at Pebble Beach on Saturday.
Spieth took only 10 putts on the back nine, closed with a pitch that checked up inches from the cup for another birdie and shot a 7-under 65 to open up a six-shot lead going in the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Starting out the round in the weather-delayed event tied with Jason Day and Derek Fathauer, Spieth never gave anyone a chance.
Following his only bogey of the round — a 7-iron over the cliffs on No. 8 that narrowly stayed up in the rough above the putting surface — he ran off three straight birdies, made a tough, curling 6-foot par putt on the 12th and then closed with three birdies and another tough par save on his last four holes.
He was at 17-under 197 and had his largest 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour.
Brandt Snedeker did his part with a 30 on the front nine — he started on No. 10 — for a 67 to pull within two shots when he finished.
Snedeker, trying to win at Pebble Beach for the third time in five years, was at 11-under 204 and will be in the final group with Spieth, along with their amateur partners. Spieth is playing with country singer Jake Owen, while Snedeker’s partner is Nashville businessman Toby Wilt.
Dustin Johnson spent three days with Spieth and couldn’t keep up, at least not on the greens. The U.S. Open champion made three birdies over his last six holes and saved par from a shot into the Pacific Ocean on No. 18 for a 66. He was seven shots behind.
ALLIANZ CHAMPIONSHIP
BOCA RATON, Fla. — Fred Couples birdied the final two holes to pull within a stroke of the leaders in the PGA Champions Tour’s Allianz Championship.
The 57-year-old Couples shot a 7-under 65 to reach 11-under 133 on The Old Course at Broken Sound.
Doug Garwood, Joe Durant, Scott McCarron and first-round leader Olin Browne shared the top spot. Garwood shot 64, Durant 65, McCarron 66, and Browne 69.
Couples is playing in Florida for the first time since the 2006 Honda Classic. He birdied the first three holes, dropped a stroke on the par-4 fourth, birdied the par-5 sixth and eagled the par-4 10th. The Hall of Famer won the last of his 11 senior titles in 2014.
Tom Pernice Jr. had a 64 to match Couples at 11 under.
Bernhard Langer was tied for 54th after his second straight 71. The 59-year-old German star is coming off a victory in the season opener in Hawaii, his 30th career victory on the PGA Tour Champions.
MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Masters champion Danny Willett shot a 5-under 67 to take a three-stroke lead ino the final round of the Maybank Championship.
The 29-year-old Englishman had a 16-under 200 total at Saujana Golf and Country Club.
American David Lipsky was second after a 68, and France’s Alexander Levy (67) was 12 under.
