Longhorn Jordan Spieth Enters Sunday With 1-Shot Lead at Charles Schwab Challenge
Former Texas Longhorns golfer Jordan Spieth remained in the lead at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth on Saturday, as he eyes his second PGA Tour win this season
Spieth had an up-and-down afternoon, but he ultimately shot a 4-under 66 at Colonial Country Club, moving his three-day score to 15-under par on the layout nicknamed ‘Hogan’s Alley,’ for legendary five-time Colonial champion Ben Hogan.
Spieth’s playing partner on Sunday will be familiar, as Jason Kokrak will play with Spieth for the final round, The pair played together on Saturday, and Kokrak shot his own 66, and with a 14-under par score for three rounds, he is Spieth’s closest pursuer going into Sunday.
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Only one other player in the field has a three-round score of 10-under or better and that’s 2001 Colonial champion, Sergio Garcia. He shot a 2-under 68 to finish 10-under.
The best round of the day was Ian Poulter’s 64, which moved him to 8-under. He was done shortly before Spieth hit the course.
Spieth started Saturday with a birdie on the par-5 first hole, and after another birdie on No. 4, he appeared poised to take control of the tournament. But, a bogey on No. 5 — which was his first bogey in 45 holes — seemed to bring some uncertainty into his game.
He bounced back with a birdie on No. 6 but followed that with a bogey on No. 8. He had a big par save at the par-4 ninth, as his drive sailed right into the trees. He had to pitch out into the fairway and pitch to within 13 feet of the cup. Spieth drained the uphill par, and that seemed to settle him a bit going into the back nine.
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After three straight pars to start the back, Spieth figured out his swing and finished the round with birdies on No. 13, No. 15, and No. 18, with Kokrak the only golfer able to seriously stay with Spieth.
Spieth, who is currently No. 9 in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Standings, projects to move to No. 1 if he wins on Sunday.
In the past three months, Spieth has one win at the Texas Open and four other Top 10 finishes, including The Masters.
Two other former Longhorns — Scottie Scheffler and Dylan Frittelli — failed to make the cut. Also among the players that failed to make the 36-hole cut was newly-minted PGA Championship winner Phil Mickelson.
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Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers Longhorns in the Pros for Longhorn Country on FanNation.com and SINow. He also writes for CowboyMaven and DallasBasketball.com, covers the Big 12 for HeartlandCollegeSports.com and is the Editor of the College Football America Yearbook. Have a story idea about a former Longhorn now in the professional ranks? Contact Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.