Jordan Spieth BATTLES ON to lead at Charles Schwab Challenge after third round

Jordan Spieth fired his second consecutive round of 66 to lead the Charles Schwab Challenge by one shot at Colonial Country Club.

Matt Chivers's picture
Sun, 30 May 2021
Jordan Spieth BATTLES ON to lead at Charles Schwab Challenge after third round

Jordan Spieth fired a third-round 66 to hold the lead on 15-under-par at the Charles Schwab Challenge, one shot ahead of his third-round pursuer Jason Kokrak.

Both Spieth and Kokrak got off to scintillating starts on day three in Fort Worth, as they made birdies on the first hole and Kokrak added another on the 2nd hole to draw level with Spieth on 12-under-par.

But the three-time major winner took control of proceedings and although he bogeyed the par-4 5th hole, he added two more birdies while Kokrak made two bogeys and Spieth led by three after six holes on 13-under-par.

The lead dropped to two shots heading into the back nine after Spieth bogeyed the par-3 8th hole and Kokrak chipped away at the deficit on the back nine.

The 36-year-old made three birdies in his first six holes of the back nine, and although Spieth added two more of his own on the 13th and 15th holes, Kokrak rolled in his sixth birdie of the day at the par-4 17th hole to draw level with Spieth on 14-under-par. 

Despite the one-time winner on the PGA Tour finishing with an impressive 66 of his own, Spieth added yet another birdie on the 18th hole to keep Kokrak at arm's length, one shot behind.

The 27-year-old, playing in front of his home crowd, is trying to win multiple times in a PGA Tour season for the first time since 2017 and he will be in the final group once more with Kokrak on Sunday.

Sergio Garcia shot another solid round of 68 on Saturday which put him on 10-under-par for the tournament and five behind Spieth, while Ian Poulter shot a great score of 64 in Fort Worth to reach 8-under-par in tied fourth place. 

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