Kevin Na shot 1-under-par 69 and clung to a one-stroke lead over Ian Poulter of England heading to the final round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
Na and Poulter were tied for the lead on the 17th hole before the Englishman’s 15-foot birdie putt barely slipped past the hole and Na sank his from about a foot closer.
“It wasn’t playing easy out there; it was a bit breezy,” said Na, the 31-year-old from Diamond Bar whose victory in the 2011 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open is his only PGA Tour title. “It was tough to judge the distance on some shots, but I hung in there and broke par, and still have the lead, which is good.
“I made nice up-and-downs on Nos. 5 and 14, and it was nice to close with a birdie (on No. 17) and a par on 18. I’m playing well and rolling the ball good. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Poulter, who shot 68, fell out of a tie for the lead when he four-putted from 16 feet for a double bogey-6 on the 10th hole, but he pulled even again with a 32-foot birdie putt at No. 15, where Na made a bogey.
With a chance to tie for the lead again, Poulter missed a seven-foot birdie putt on the last hole.
“I’m definitely playing some great golf,” Poulter told Sky Sports. “It’s about holing putts at the right time. I just need to hole a few more putts and I think I will be there.”
Charley Hoffman of Poway and UNLV posted three birdies on the back nine to shoot 66 and was two shots behind in solo third, while Chris Kirk recorded a 65 with birdies on two of the last three holes and was another stroke behind in a tie for fourth with Brandt Snedeker, who had a 66.
Rory Sabbatini of South Africa, who won at Colonial in 2007, carded a 66 and was four shots back in a tie for sixth with Kevin Kisner, who totaled 67, and Brian Harman and George McNeill, who both came in at 69.
Masters champion Jordan Spieth bounced back from a 73 with a 67 that included a 33-foot birdie putt at No. 9, and was five strokes back in a tie for 10th that included defending champion Adam Scott of Australia, who finished with a second straight 66.
