Jordan Spieth holed a 50-foot birdie putt on the final hole to cap a 9-under-par 63 and take a seven-stroke lead over Keegan Bradley and Henrik Stenson of Sweden after three rounds of the Hero World Challenge at Isleworth Country Club in Orlando, Fla.
The 21-year-old Spieth, who won the Emirates Australian Open by six shots last week, birdied his first three holes and added three more in a row through the 14th hole.
“This is the best I’ve played in a 54-hole stretch,” said Spieth, who was all smiles after his putt on No. 18 found the hole. “I put my putter up, which usually means it will find a way to lip out.
“I’m still going to have to shoot under par (in the final round) to win.”
Bradley, who has junked his belly putter for a conventional model, recorded eight birdies in a 65, while Stenson birdied four holes on the back nine while fashioning a 68.
Patrick Reed was seven shots behind in fourth after a 69, followed another shot back by Justin Rose of England (70), and Jason Day (70), who was two more strokes behind.
Tournament host Tiger Woods, playing for the first time in four months, fought through a stomach bug and a fever to birdie the last three holes to finish at 69, but still was 18th and last in the field.
