SILVIS, In poor health. — Lucas Glover had an early eagle and a late birdie. He shot a 2-under 69 on his solely two holes Saturday, adequate to share the lead with Lee Hodges on the John Deere Basic, and now has quite a lot of potential.
Hodges had 4 birdies on six holes on the again 9 at TPC Deer Run for a 67 and superior to the ultimate spherical, tied with Glover at 16-under 197.
9 gamers are inside 4 strokes of the lead, a gaggle that ranges from 50-year-old Zach Johnson to NCAA champion Preston Stout of Oklahoma State.
Glover’s three-year waiver for his two PGA Tour wins expired in 2023, and he started the season whereas recovering from labrum surgical procedure.
“You just about know you are not going to win except you progress down the rankings,” Glover mentioned. “Everybody needs to be aggressive, so we’ve got to hit just a little bit higher tomorrow to achieve our final purpose.”
Hodges got here into his personal on the again 9, leaving six straight holes with birdie alternatives at or close to 15 toes. He transferred 4 of them to Grover. However there may be little margin for error.
Zach Blair (67), Ben Coles (66) and Jackson Suber (66) adopted with a one-shot distinction. One other shot down was Doug Jim (67). Nonetheless three pictures behind, Johnson, who has a really robust resume within the John Deere Basic (which the Iowa native considers his house match), missed this week’s U.S. Senior Open in Scioto.
Johnson sank a 35-foot birdie putt on the ultimate gap for a 66. Johnson can have the possibility to hitch a small group of gamers who’ve gained each the PGA Tour Champions and the PGA Tour in the identical calendar yr. Phil Mickelson was the latest participant in 2021.
Taking part in on a sponsor exemption, Stout shot a 66 and was in a gaggle 4 strokes behind Max Homa and Ryo Hisatsune.
To not be neglected was Rickie Fowler, who needed to go up and down from par on Friday’s ultimate gap to beat the numbers. Fowler, who began the third spherical 11 pictures behind the lead, bogeyed the ultimate gap however nonetheless shot a 63 to return inside 5 pictures. Additionally 5 pictures behind was 19-year-old Blaze Brown, who has already had two possibilities to win on the PGA Tour this yr.
Hodges gained his solely tour title in Minnesota in 2023. He has conditional standing this yr as a result of he completed outdoors the highest 100 on the FedEx Cup, however his standing may change if he performs nicely in another spherical. Hodges, just like the others, had the identical outlook.
He had constructed an enormous lead in Minnesota, however discovered himself attempting to hold on. Sunday’s TPC Pricey Run will likely be a very completely different quantity.
“Tomorrow will likely be just a little extra enjoyable,” Hodges mentioned. “I am simply going to go on offense and beat individuals. Tomorrow I am simply going to maintain my foot on the pedal and shoot decrease than everybody.”
Coles has already gained on this yr’s Korn Ferry Tour and will likely be aiming for his first victory. Seven of the highest 11 gamers, together with Blair, have but to win on the PGA Tour. The Utah native briefly held a two-shot lead earlier than hitting a hazard on the eleventh gap and struggling a double bogey.
Glover missed the inexperienced on the ninth gap and suffered his first bogey of the match. The third spherical was interrupted for about an hour as a result of a late storm. Glover returned on the seventeenth and made a 6-foot birdie putt, ending with a par.
