4 takeaways from the Dean & DeLuca Invitational's 3rd round
Here are four takeaways from the third round of the Dean & DeLuca Invitational at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday:
Paul Casey likes the Colonial greens
Casey has always been a great iron player, ranking 10th in greens in regulation this season on tour, but the putter is another story. At the Dean & DeLuca, though, the Englishman has found his stroke on the small Colonial greens, which has him in contention heading into Sunday.
| Stat | 2016-17 Season | Tour ranking | This week | Field ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putting strokes gained | (-.146) | 140 | 1.694 | 5 |
| Putts per GIR | 29.38 | 143 | 27 | T5 |
| Putting Average | 1.792 | 143 | 1.639 | 4 |
Webb Simpson's play was almost perfect
The 2012 U.S. Open champion grabbed the 54-hole lead Saturday, making four birdies and a bogey at the eighth, when he three-putted. Simpson found 85 percent of the fairways and 77 percent of the greens, and recorded 29 total putts.
| Stat | Total | Rank this week |
|---|---|---|
| Birdies | 14 | T4 |
| Strokes gained (SG): Approach | 5.285 | 6 |
| SG: Putting | 5.385 | 3 |
| SG: Tee to green | 7.923 | 4 |
| SG: Total | 12.308 | 1 |
| Greens in regulation (GIR) | 64.81% | T11 |
| Putts per GIR | 1.657 | 6 |
Not old, just experienced
Stewart Cink hasn't won since the 2009 Open Championship, but that could change Sunday evening in Fort Worth. The 44-year-old is making his 17th appearance in the event, and, in Saturday's tough conditions, shot the second-lowest round of the day with a 66. "Every shot is a little bit like a puzzle, and it's challenging," Cink told pgatour.com.
'Hogan's Alley' was brutal
Of the 27 golfers who made the cut Friday, only 20 players produced a sub-70 third-round score, while 41 others shot over par on the day at the Colonial. The scoring average for the field was 71.44, due to insane heat and heavy winds.