Harman grabs 1-shot lead at Travelers
Cromwell, CT - Brian Harman birdied the 18th hole on Saturday for his second straight 5-under 65 and a 1-shot lead after the third round of the Travelers Championship.
Harman ended 54 holes at 14-under-par 196. He will go for his second PGA Tour win on Sunday.
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 were tied at minus-13 at TPC River Highlands.
Brandt Snedeker fired a 7-under 63 to match the 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 minus-10, while Patrick Rodgers (63) and Sergio Garcia (66) headline a group of seven players at 9-under-par 201.
Harman, like Watson played collegiately at the University of Georgia, got off quick start with a 14-foot birdie putt on the first. He ran off five straight pars from the second before converting a 7-footer for birdie at the par-4 seventh.
The reigning John Deere Classic winner made another 7-foot birdie putt at 10. Harman and Watson birdied the 13th to join DeLaet in a share of the lead at minus-13.
Harman ran off four straight pars from the 14th. He stuffed his approach at the last inside four feet and knocked that in for a closing birdie and the third-round lead.
"I'll try to get a good picture on every shot, try to make some putts and see where that leads me," Harman said of his plan for Sunday. "I'm hitting the ball well. I got a couple of good breaks today. I'll try to hit it a little better tomorrow, but at the same time, I'm very pleased with where I am and really looking for the opportunity tomorrow."
Watson had a steady round with birdies at four and six. He parred the other seven holes on the front nine and also made par at 10 and 11.
The two-time Masters champion 3-putted for bogey at the 12th to fall one behind DeLaet. Watson came right back with a 2-putt birdie on the par-5 13th to grab a share of the lead. Watson ended at 13-under as he parred the final five holes.
"I didn't play myself out of it. I played pretty solid, just didn't make any birdies. Couldn't ever get the ball close to the hole. I thought one was going to bounce, I thought one was going to check and they would do the opposite," Watson explained. "I'm still in it, and I'm playing pretty good."
DeLaet birdied the third from seven feet out, then moved to 10-under with an 8-foot birdie effort at six. He traded a birdie for a bogey from the ninth.
The Canadian posted back-to-back gains at 12 and 13 to jump to 11-under. At the short par-4 15th, DeLaet drove the green and rolled in a 6-footer for eagle. He capped his round with a trio of pars.
NOTES: The only other time Harman had the 54-hole lead was when he won the John Deere Classic last year ... The third-round leader has won this title just four times since 2000 ... Rodgers, who made his professional debut at this event last year, birdied his final hole on Friday to make the cut on the number before firing a 63 on Saturday ... The top-4 players not otherwise qualified will earn a spot in the Open Championship at St. Andrews ... There were six bogey-free rounds on Saturday ... With bad weather expected overnight and early Sunday morning, players will go off the first and 10th tees in threesomes for the final round.