IRVING, Texas — James Hahn shot a bogey-free 6-under 64 on Saturday to take the lead after three rounds at the AT&T Byron Nelson, where Jason Kokrak’s record advantage disappeared. Hahn settled for a 12-under 198 total after his eagle chance at the 16th and a birdie putt at 17 both stopped just inches short. The two-time PGA TOUR winner was a stroke ahead of Billy Horschel, who birdied his last three holes for a 66 to take second place alone. Jason Day had his own string of birdies, five in a row midway through his round and then a 60-footer at the 17th, during a 63 that was the best of the day and got him to 10 under. The fourth-ranked player in the world was tied for third with Kokrak, who shot a 72 after setting a Nelson 36-hole record with a five-stroke lead. Cameron Tringale and Sergio Garcia also finished with birdies on Nos. 16-18. Tringale was fifth at 9 under after a 67, with defending Nelson champion and Masters Tournament winner Garcia tied for sixth at 8 under after a 64 that also included three straight birdies at Nos. 11-13. Top-ranked Dustin Johnson shot a 71 with five bogeys and four birdies to reach 5 under, seven strokes off the lead and tied for 19th. He had started the day in a six-way tie for third and six strokes behind Kokrak. Hahn shared the first-round lead after an opening 64, but slipped back with a 70 on Friday before another impressive round for him at TPC Four Seasons that included a 65-foot chip-in birdie at the par-4 No. 3 hole. This is Hahn’s fourth Nelson, and he has shot 64 or 65 in half of his 14 rounds there. The last birdie for Day in his long streak came after driving the green at the 311-yard par-4 11th and two-putting from 37 feet. Day’s only bogey came when he blasted out of greenside bunker at the 14th, then pushed his 4-foot par chance just left of the home and 2 1/2 feet past. When his 60-footer at the par-3 17th caught the left edge of the cup and dropped in, Day lifted both arms into the air, pumping his right fist while still grasping the putter in the other hand. About the same time Day’s 16-foot birdie try at No. 18 curled just under the hole, causing him to wince, Hahn went to 11 under for the lead with his 13-foot birdie at the 15th hole. Hahn then added another birdie at the 527-yard par-5 16th after come up just short of an eagle on the easiest-playing hole at TPC Four Seasons. Kokrak had his first bogey in 34 holes after missing the fairway at No. 3, then three-putting on the sloping green. He quickly made up that stroke with a 15-foot birdie at No. 4 and was back to 12 under with a five-stroke lead. But his advantage was down to one by time he finished his next hole, the par-3 5th, with a triple bogey. Garcia beat Brook Koepka in a playoff last year to become the first two-time Nelson winner since Irving became the tournament’s home in 1983. Day, who won the Nelson in 2010, could match that Sunday in the last round at TPC Four Seasons before a move to the new Trinity Forest Golf Club in south Dallas next year.
Click here to read the full article…
