Sepp Straka rode a hot start to an eight-under-par 64 on Saturday to seize a four-shot lead over a trio of players heading into the final round of the US PGA Tour American Express tournament in La Quinta, California.
Austria’s Straka, chasing a third US tour title, had a 23-under-par total of 193, with Australia’s former world number one Jason Day, US veteran Charley Hoffman and Justin Lower his nearest rivals on 197.
Straka teed off on 10 on the La Quinta course, one of three in use over the first three rounds, and piled up six birdies in his first nine holes.
He drilled a long birdie putt at the 18th to make the turn with a three-shot lead and after missing birdie attempts from inside six feet at both the third and fourth he birdied the fifth and sixth — both short par-fives — to push his lead …