Brian Harman started the day with a four-shot lead and fired two birdies and two bogeys for an even-par 72 to take a three-shot lead at 12-under into the final day at the Valero Texas Open. He leads the field in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (8.547)
“I knew I’d get some birdie chances on that back nine, just had to kind of survive the front, there’s some really tough holes. Got out of position a few times off the tee and really had to scramble.
“Really proud of the pars I made, 7, 8, 9, made a nice par there on 12, just trying to get a little momentum. We were kind of, all three of us in the group kind of all over the place for six, seven holes. Just a tough day, man. When you get around this place and the wind blows and the pins are tucked, it’s just a really hard day.”
Harman holds his fifth career 54-hole lead/co-lead on the PGA Tour. He is 2-for-4 to date in converting to victory (2023 Open Championship, 2014 John Deere Classic).
In nine starts this season, the American has recorded three top-25 finishes, his best finish was T17 at the The Genesis Invitational.
Harman has made 36 starts since his last win on Tour at the 2023 Open Championship. Over that stretch, he has recorded four top-10 finishes, highlighted by a runner-up at the 2024 Players Championship.
American Andrew Novak produced six birdies, the most by any player in the third round, as well as three bogeys for a 69 and moved up into second place at 9-under.
He sits inside the top-10 after 54 holes for the third time this season (T7/Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard/finished T34, 2nd/Farmers Insurance Open/finished 3rd). He has recorded three top-25 finishes in eleven starts this season, highlighted by a solo-third at the Farmers Insurance Open, his lone top-10.
Tom Hoge of the United States made four birdies in the back-nine for a 68, the only bogey-free round on Saturday, and lies in third place at 8-under. He sits inside the top-10 after 54 holes for the second time this season (T6/The Sentry/finished T8). He is bidding for his second career win in his 296th start on Tour following the 2022 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Fellow American Keith Mitchell started the day in second place four shots off the lead and signed for a 73 after making two birdies and three bogeys. He lies in fourth place at -7under. Mitchell is projected to move to No. 5 in the Aon Swing 5 standings, with the top five FedExCup points earners (not otherwise exempt) in the Puerto Rico Open, Valspar Championship, Texas Children’s Houston Open and Valero Texas Open earning spots in the RBC Heritage.
