Keegan Bradley simply played like the 2011 PGA champion that he is.
The 37-year-old Bradley (pictured) carded a seven-under-par 63 and is tied for the lead with Grayson Murray heading to the final round of the 59th Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, in the shadow of Diamond Head Crater.
“I’m just going to worry about myself and if I have another good round tomorrow, I’m going to be though to beat,” said Bradley, who captured the 2023 Travelers Championship for his sixth PGA Tour victory and 12th as a professional.
“I’ve been out here for more than 12 seasons now and I feel like a veteran, and that I know what it takes to win, so I will just stick with that. But there are so many great players on the PGA Tour that anybody can win.
“But I’ve never felt better than I did today in all phases of the game and If I can keep that going tomorrow, I believe I have a good chance to win again.”
Bradley, who also won the 2022 Zozo Championship, made four birdies on each nine against a lone bogey at the 11th hole in his 63 and recorded a 54-hole score of 14-under-par 196.
Murray, who has won six times as a pro, equaled that three-round total after sinking a five-foot eagle putt on thee ninth hole and adding four birdies in a 64.
“I’ve been out here since 2017 and I am thankful to be doing better off the course to give myself a chance to succeed,” said Murray, who claimed his only PGA Tour victory in the 2017 Barbasol Championship, but has battled alcoholism.
“I have my good days and bad days, but I just have to keep on improving and giving myself a chance to win again. I really enjoy playing this course and I believe that it really gives me a chance.
“I’ve had some hard times, but I just have to keep on going.”
Sam Stevens shot a bogey-free 63 and is one stroke behind in solo third, while Chris Kirk, who won The Sentry last Sunday, bounced back from bogeys on the first two holes for a 67 and is three shots back in a tie for fourth with Ben Silverman of Canada, who posted a bogey-free 64; Taiga Semikawa of Japan, who birdied four of the last six holes for a 66; Mattieu Pavon of France, who made four birdies on the front nine in a 67, and Byeong Hun An of South Korea, who had three birdies on each nine in a 68.
Emiliano Grillo of Argentina made five birdies on the back nine in a 63 and is four down in a tie for ninth with Troy Merritt, who had three birdies on each nine in a 66, Kurt Kitayama of Chico and UNLV, who made a single bogey in his 68, and second-round co-leader Austin Eckroat, who birdied five of the last six holes to cap a 69.
Ninth-ranked Brian Harman shot a bogey-free 65 and is in a tie for 22nd that includes Eric Cole of Palm Springs, the 2022-23 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, who carded three birdies on eah nine in a bogey-free 64.
For complete results and final-round tee times, visit: https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard
