Bill Haas shot a four-under par 67 in the third round of the Valspar Championship on Saturday to take the lead on the Copperhead Course at the Inverness Resort in Palm Harbor, Fla.
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Steve Stricker watches the path of his putt on the 18th hole during the second round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament Friday, March 11, 2016, in Palm Harbor, Fla.
Haas worked his way through the wind on another tough day and chipped in for birdie one the par-3 15th hole on his way to a 4-under 67, giving him a one-shot lead over Graham DeLaet of Canada going into the final round at Innisbrook.
JORDAN SPIETH defended himself against an internet “troll” following his opening 76 in the Valspar Championship – and found an ally in one of his biggest rivals.
Spieth would sign for a 68 to make the cut by two shots in the second round of the Valspar Championship at at Innisbrook on Friday.
Haas is at eight-under 205.
“It was a very tough day”, said Spieth, whose win at the Valspar past year was the first of five on the PGA Tour for the Texan.
Stricker and MacKenzie are closely followed by Bill Haas, Daniel Berger and Graham DeLaet as they are on four-under.
MacKenzie was at 5-under 137, two shots ahead of a large group that included a pair of Augusta natives Charles Howell III and Scott Brown who need to win to qualify for the Masters.
“Today was all about the cut”, a relieved Spieth told reporters.
Spieth added that he had no problem with the story but felt the tweet “made it seem like I was going with getting hurt and (having to) withdraw”.
“I like my progression, the way I’m going”, he said.
“I just hit some poor shots yesterday, ” said Spieth, who was tied for 43rd. For the first time during the Florida swing, no one has gone lower than 66 over the opening two rounds. And it could have been even better as he lay on seven under for the day with three to play, but a double bogey at the par-four 16th saw him drop back. “When I’m putting well, things are better in my world”. American Peter Uihlein was second after a 69. But his 6-iron approach shot at the par-4 third hole never left the stick and he rolled in the birdie putt.
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Charley Hoffman (-5) – After failing to finish inside the top 40 in his first six starts this season, Hoffman finally showed flashes of form while finishing t-17 at Doral last week. Even though he slipped up at the next hole by missing a five-foot par putt to record a bogey, Spieth atoned for his mistake with a birdie at the ninth.
