Tiger Woods had a rough go of it at the U.S. Open, but he will have time to recover as he will be waiting until the British Open Championship in Scotland to play next and this week on the PGA Schedule is the Travelers Championship and starting the day on Sunday, Bubba Watson held part of the lead on the leaderboard.
Watson was tops over players that included Justin Rose, who came into the tournament after winning the US Open for his first major and he is tied for the lead with Charley Hoffman and Graham Delaet, while Rose was tied for eighth. Watson is in a comfortable spot, as he won the Travelers for his first career PGA Tour title and now he is in a prime position to win it again. He got off to a great start with three birdies over his first six holes, but he faded later on before holding on for the lead heading into the final day of play.
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The lead is within reach for a number of players, including for Chris Stroud and Australian Nick O'Hern, who were tied at fourth heading into Sunday. Watson will go into the final round at 10-under par, tied for the lead with his countryman Charley Hoffman and Canadian Graham DeLaet, on a heavily congested leaderboard that included England's newly-crowned U.S. Open champion Justin Rose.
Bubba Watson retained a share of the lead after the third round of the Travelers Championship on Saturday despite dropping three shots in the last six holes. The American, chasing his first PGA Tour win since he captured last year's Masters, stumbled with bogeys at the 13th, 15th and 17th holes to finish with a round of even-par 70.
"I hit some shots today that were really good, some quality shots but got a couple bad breaks here and there but that's golf," Watson told reporters.
"At the end of the day I still have a chance on Sunday and that's what we are always looking for on the weeks we are playing."
Hoffman, who opened the tournament with a stunning 61 but fell back with a second round 73, carded a 66 while DeLaet signed for a 65, matching the best round of the day, as he chases his maiden PGA Tour win.
American Chris Stroud (66) and Australian Nick O'Hern (68) were tied for fourth, just one shot off the lead, while American Ken Duke was alone in sixth after a 65.
Justin Rose was among a bunch of players in the next group at minus seven, after he shot a second successive 68. At the end of the day, 18 players were within four strokes of the lead, setting the stage for a grandstand finish.
Watson, who won his first PGA Tour title at the 2010 Travelers, came out fast with three birdies in his first six holes, before running into trouble in the stretch and getting distracted by spectators.
"I'm sitting here with another chance to win," Watson said.
"It would be my fifth win and I never thought a guy from Bagdad Florida named Bubba would have a chance for five wins on tour.
"The golf course sets up so well for me. I love the tee shots, there are a lot of cut shots, which I love to do off the tee. I got a lot of wedges and short irons here and I can make putts sometimes so it's good."
Hoffman produced five birdies and a lone bogey to stay in contention 12 months after he blew his chance of winning the same tournament.
He held the lead with two holes to play last year when he made a double bogey then a bogey to hand victory to Australia's Marc Leishman, who remained in the hunt to defend his title after finishing Saturday's third round at six-under.
DeLaet, 31, had six birdies, including four in a row, and just one bogey.
(Reuters Quotes)
