Paul Casey played less windy Spyglass Hill Golf Course in the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and took advantage of it.
The 41-year-old Englishman shot 5-under-par 67 and will take a three-stroke lead over Phil Mickelson into the final round of the 78th edition of the old Bing Crosby Pro-Am, which was otherwise known as the Crosby Clambake.
“I am having a blast,” said Casey, who has 18 pro victories but only two on the PGA Tour, the last in the 2018 Valspar Championship to end a nine-year drought on the U.S. circuit. “I want another win. I’ve made that fairly clear.
“I want to give myself as many opportunities as I can this season and I’ve already given myself one this week. “I’m enjoying it and can’t wait for tomorrow. I need to continue to putt well. That’s been the real key to my play the first three days.”
Casey collected three birdies on each nine at Spyglass www.pebblebeach.com/golf/spyglass-hill-golf-course and made his only bogey in the third round on No. 6 to record a 54-hole total of 15-under 200.
Mickelson’s 70 at Pebble Beach Golf Links www.pebblebeach.com was highlighted by a four-foot eagle putt on the 14th hole after a brilliant approach shot from 238 yards. He will be paired with Casey in the final round, which will be played exclusively at Pebble Beach.
“The winner of this tournament usually comes from behind the final twosome, so Paul and I can’t start playing against each other,” said Lefty, who is trying to tie Mark O’Meara’s tournament record of five victories.
“Obviously, Paul has a big advantage and I just have to just go out and shoot a low round.”
Scott Piercy totaled 69 at Pebble and is four back in a tie for third with Lucas Glover, who closed his 70 at Monterey Peninsula Country Club www.mpccpb.org with a bogey on the ninth hole, while first-round co-leader Brian Gay finished with a 69 at Pebble Beach and is another shot down in a tie for fifth with Matt Every, who had also had a 69 at Pebble.
Scott Langley, the other first-round co-leader, shot 73 at Pebble and is six strokes behind in a tie for seventh with Jason Day of Australia (72, Pebble Beach), Russell Knox of Scotland (68, Pebble Beach), Jonathan Byrd (68, Spyglass Hill), Si Woo Kim of South Korea (69, Spyglass Hill), Rafa Cabrera Bello of Spain (69, Monterey Peninsula), and Scott Stallings (69, Monterey Peninsula).
Jordan Spieth, who won at Pebble two years ago, had the lead at one stage in round three but made two double bogeys on the back nine at Pebble and is tied for 18th after a 74, third-ranked Dustin Johnson, a two-time champion in the tournament, is tied for 47th after a 73 at Pebble, and defending champion Ted Potter Jr. shot 71 at Monterey Peninsula and missed the 54-hole cut by a whopping 10 shots.
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