Cromwell, United States: Brian Harman rolled in a birdie on his final hole to card his second straight five-under 65 and take a one-stroke lead into the fourth round of the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship.
Harman, whose only PGA Tour win came at the John Deere Classic last year, ended 54 holes at 14-under-par 196 at the River Highlands course.
Bubba Watson, who led after the first two rounds, posted a 68 and dropped into a share of second place with Graham DeLaet (64). They are tied at 13-under.
“It’s always fun to play with Bubba,” said Harman. “He was ahead of me at Georgia, so I’ve always looked up to him. It’s great to be in the last group with him, but I will approach it the same way. I’ll try to get a good picture on each shot and make some putts. I’m looking forward to it.”
Brandt Snedeker fired a seven-under 63 to match Saturday’s low round of the day. He soared into a tie for fourth place at 11-under-par 199, where he was joined by Paul Casey and Zach Johnson, who both shot 64 on Saturday.
Chris Stroud (68) is one shot back at 10-under, while Patrick Rodgers (63) and Sergio Garcia (66) are part of a group of seven players at nine-under-par 201.
DeLaet, who won three times on the PGA Canada Tour but has never won in the US, drove the green on the 278-yard 15th hole and sank the six-foot eagle putt en route to a 64.
Two-time Masters champ Watson, who won the Travelers in 2010 for the first of his seven USPGA Tour victories, led by two strokes after each of the first two rounds with scores of 62-67, shot 68 in round three.
“I didn’t hit it as close and didn’t make any putts,” he said. “But to be in the last group on Sunday with a chance to win, that’s what we strive for out here.”
Watson held onto his lead with two birdies on the first 11 holes before three-putting the par-four 12th to fall out of first.
