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SAN ANTONIO, Texas – News and notes from Saturday’s third round of the Valero Texas Open, with Kevin Chappell leading by one stroke going into the final round at TPC San Antonio. Click here for the Daily Wrap-up. MOST PROUD I’VE BEEN If Kevin Chappell converts the first solo 54-hole lead of his PGA TOUR career into his first win, he’ll likely consider his back-nine performance Saturday as the turning point of the week. Maybe even his career. Having endured a rollercoaster front nine that included one double bogey, three bogeys, three birdies (and two provisional shots, neither one he actually used), Chappell could have easily let the round get away from him. Tough, windy conditions, unseasonably cool temperatures, a couple of unlucky breaks – early-career Chappell would have checked out. But we saw the more mature Chappell on the back nine, one who doesn’t give in, who finds the positives and builds on them. He steadied the ship with four pars after the turn, then birdied three of the last five holes to salvage a one-under 71. “It says something about me and the growth that I’ve made,” the 30-year-old Chappell said. “For the fans that have followed me, that round could’ve been 78 and I’m teeing off first off the back nine tomorrow… “I feel like I’ve made some strides mentally and physically. I was able to find something I could compete with. It’s probably the most proud I’ve been of myself in a round of golf in a long time.” The next stride, of course, will be to win. Chappell knocked on the door frequently last season – three second-place finishes, including a playoff loss at the TOUR Championship. He was also the runner-up here in 2011, and tied for fourth last year. In his last start, Chappell tied for seventh at the Masters. Making the 180th start of his TOUR career, Chappell is hoping those collection of experiences will pay off in a positive manner Sunday. “It’s going to be about staying in the moment, executive my game plan,” Chappell said, “and hopefully walking up 18, it’s my time.” OR IS IT RYAN’S TIME? Ryan Palmer is making the 53rd start of his PGA TOUR career in his native Texas. He has 10 top-10 finishes – including a tie for sixth and a tie for fourth in his last two appearances at TPC San Antonio. He contended at his home course, Colonial, last year and lost in a playoff in 2011 in Dallas. On Saturday, Palmer shot the low round of the day – a four-under 68. It was one of just two rounds in the 60s (Camilo Villegas shot a 3-under 69). Palmer’s big move puts him in a seven-way tie for fourth, two strokes off the lead. It’s yet another opportunity. So, is he due to win a Texas event … or is he overdue? “I don’t want to say I’m due for anything out here,” laughed Palmer, who played collegiately at Texas A&M. “I’ve been close a lot of times here, Colonial, playoff at Nelson. I think this one, I feel like I can win this one each year I come here.” After five missed cuts in his first seven starts of the season, Palmer is showing better form now, thanks to some improved putting. He added some loft to his putter and it has delivered better performances on the greens. He called last week’s effort at the RBC Heritage (a tie for 11th) one of the best putting weeks in recent memory. Maybe the timing is perfect. His longtime caddie, James Edmondson — also a native Texan — is hoping Sunday will be a Lone Star day. “Ryan was born and raised in Texas,” Edmondson said. “You’d think it’d be in the cards to win in his home state. It’s a dream come true for any kid growing up in Texas to win here.” Said Palmer: “We’re going to bring it tomorrow and kind of see what happens.” SHOT OF THE DAY PAR 5 OR PAR 6? The par 5s at TPC San Antonio are annually the toughest on the PGA TOUR. On Saturday, playing into the wind, the 591-yard 18th bared its teeth. Of the 76 players, just 15 made birdie. Compare that to 12 bogeys, three doubles and three others, resulting in a stroke average of 5.171. That tied for the ninth most-difficult hole on the course. It was even tougher than the 604-yard eighth, which played to a stroke average of 5.158.] “Kind of playing like a par 6 today,” said Martin Laird, who had one of those birdies after hitting driver, 3-iron, 7-iron to 2-1/2 feet. Carl Pettersson also had a birdie after hitting driver, 4-iron, 6-iron to 4 feet. Branden Grace parred the hole after hitting driver, 3-iron, 5-iron. “Not an easy hole at all today,” Grace said. The hole had played under par in each of the first two rounds, but a Saturday morning cold front shifted the winds into the players’ faces. The same direction is forecast for the final round. “I said to my caddie, ‘Kind of fun playing out there today in the wind like that,’ “ the Scottish-born Laird said. “I’m just going to go out tomorrow and continue to enjoy playing the course and have fun and see what happens.” CALL OF THE DAY ODDS AND ENDS Terrific finish for John Huh, who eagled the par-4 17th by holing a bunker shot from 73 feet, then a birdie at the tough 18th. That moved him into a tie for second with Grace. Those two will join Chappell in the final threesome Sunday. “This is not a golf course you can really go low,” Huh said. “If I manage to throw a few birdies in, I should be fine.” … The 17th, incidentally, was playing to just 318 yards on Saturday, with the wind behind the players. That explains why it was the easiest hole on the course, playing to a stroke average of 3.434. Huh was one of five players who made eagle on the hole. Just two other eagles were recorded, both at the par-5 14th … How tough was it on Sunday? Along with those two scores in the 60s, just 14 other players were able to break par among the 76 players left in the field. In addition, no player shot a bogey-free round. It’s just the fifth day on the PGA TOUR this season that there no bogey-free rounds were recorded … Brooks Koepka has one of the low rounds of the day, a 2-under 70 that moved him into a tie for 12th at 4 under. But he wasn’t happy about the outcome. “I don’t feel like we did enough at all,” Koepka said. “Left five or six shots out there. I missed a 3-footer. Some dumb mistakes. I easily could’ve shot 66.” BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA Ive had one round in 15 events get away from me. Golf isnt always easy. I’ll give it a go tomorrow!— adam hadwin (@ahadwingolf) April 22, 2017 When you’re the leader … Everyone wants a piece. pic.twitter.com/Cm2Gl2bKGU— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 22, 2017 The odds were against him, but These Guys Are Good. Wow. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/JsWeRSCxYf— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 22, 2017 318 yards ➡️ 3 feet! 😳 #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/HbTBEGchyB— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 22, 2017
