Troy Merritt, seeking his first PGA Tour victory, posted a 2-under-par 69 on Saturday and took a three-stroke lead over defending champion Matt Kuchar, Kevin Kisner and Brendon Todd heading to the final round of the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Merritt, who tied the course record with a 61 in round two, carded four birdies and no bogeys to, in addition to sinking a clutch five-foot putt to save a double-bogey 6 after hitting his approach shot into the water on the eighth hole.
“That was a good one to make, to get that putt into the hole,” said Merritt, whose only pro victory came in the 2009 Mexico Open on what now is the Web.com Tour. “I hit the ball well all day and had a good rhythm going.
“That putt gave me some added confidence and I was as able to keep it going. It was nice to see some putts go in and it was pretty stress-free. I hope it’s like that again tomorrow.”
Kuchar, who holed a bunker shot on the 72nd hole to win the tournament last year, had six birdies and also overcame a double bogey, his coming on the seventh hole, in posting a 68.
Todd, whose only PGA Tour victory came last year in the HP Byron Nelson Championship, capped a bogey-free 63 by rolling in a 70-foot birdie chip on the final hole while playing early in the day to climb 27 spots on the leaderboard.
Kisner, whose only two pro victories came on the Web.com Tour, carded a second straight 67 by playing bogey-free in round three.
Jim Furyk, trying to win for the first time since the 2010 Tour Championship, shot a bogey-free 68 and was four shots behind in a tie for fifth with Branden Grace of South Africa, who had a 66, and Brice Garnett, who came in at 65.
Masters champion Jordan Spieth, who got back into the tournament with a 62 in round two after opening with a 74, recorded a 68 and was five shots behind in a tie for eighth with Bo Van Pelt, who had a 67.
