HAWAII — Jordan Spieth closed in on his seventh PGA Tour victory as he hit an exquisite three-iron to eagle the par-five last and seize a five-stroke lead after the third round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions here Saturday.
The American world No. 1 struck a laser-like second shot from 250 yards at the 18th, his ball bouncing from short of the green to narrowly miss the flagstick and end up 10 feet past the hole from where he coolly drained the eagle putt.
That gave Spieth a superb eight-under-par 65 and a 24-under total of 195 after 54 holes at the Kapalua Resort, despite not being at his pinpoint best with his iron play for much of a blustery day on the Hawaiian island of Maui.
“I just tried to put a smooth swing on it,” Spieth, 22, told Golf Channel about his three-iron approach at the last. “It came across the hole and took a peek, I guess (at dropping in).
“It was really nice to get that putt to go in. I think I deserved it on this hole and it gives me a nice little confidence boost into tomorrow.”
Fellow American Brooks Koepka was alone in second after shooting a best-of-the-week 63, with defending champion Patrick Reed a further stroke back at 18 under par after pocketing four birdies in the last five holes for a 67.
Spieth, who would match Tiger Woods with a seventh PGA win before the age of 23 should he triumph on Sunday, was delighted to rebound from a poor stretch of holes from the short eighth, which he bogeyed after missing the green. — Agencies
