Los Angeles: Daniel Berger shook off a double bogey with two late birdies to retain a three-shot lead on Saturday after three rounds of the US PGA Tour St. Jude Classic.
Berger’s miscue at the 14th, where he hit into the water and took a double-bogey five, briefly opened the door to five-time major winner Phil Mickelson. But Berger rallied to card a one-under par 69 at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. His 10-under total of 200 put him three shots in front of Mickelson, Steve Stricker and D.A. Points going into the final round of the last tuneup for next week’s US Open at Oakmont, Pennsylvania.
Mickelson, who will be seeking the US Open title that has long eluded him at Oakmont next week, grabbed a share of the lead with a seven-foot birdie putt at 16.
But he made his only bogey of the day at the next hole. He closed with a chip-in for par at 18.
Points, playing well in advance of the overnight leaders, drained a 15-foot birdie putt at 18 to cap a bogey-free 64, while Stricker carded a bogey-free 66.
Brooks Koepka rebounded from two bogeys late on the front nine with two birdies coming in for a 69 that left him tied on 204 with South Korea’s Noh Seung-Yul and American Colt Knost, who both shot 67.
Dustin Johnson, the 2012 winner in Memphis and the highest-ranked player in the field at sixth in the world, carded a 73 to fall eight adrift.
