20200802-Clockwise from Top left-Todd, Byeong, Koepka amnd Fowler. Pics: Getty Images
Memphis, Tenn., Aug 2: Brendan Todd already has two wins in the current season and he is now at the doorstep of the biggest moment of his career as he holds a one-shot lead after three rounds at the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind.
On Saturday in the third round he shot an 1-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round.
South Korean Byeong Hun An, who had four straight birdies on the back nine, finished with a 66 and lies second, while Rickie Fowler, playing his 30th WGC event, is looking for his maiden WGC title. He was two strokes back after a 69.
Defending champ Brooks Koepka struggled initially before he had six birdies in eight holes for a 68 and now lies fourth at 9-under. Koepka, who has twice successfully defended a Major is now seeking to defend a WGC for the first time and at four behind, he is very much in the race. If he wins Koepka will be first player successfully defend a WGC title since Tiger Woods in 2007
Former World No. 1 Justin Thomas can become No. 1 again with a victory here. He is fifth at 8-under after a 66. He won the event on this course in 2018, a year before it became a WGC event in 2019.
It is never over till it over and no one knows that better than Todd, who had a two-stroke lead going into the final round at the Travelers Championship in late June. He shot 75 and tied for 11th.
Todd, who began the day with a two-stroke lead, had five birdies and four bogeys to put him at 13-under 198.
Todd, 35, is seeking his fourth career PGA TOUR win and the third since last fall.
At one point Todd was joined by Fowler in lead but Todd took back the lead on the very next hole, the par-3 eighth with a 20-foot plus birdie. Fowler again joined him at 12-under and then took the lead all by himself when Todd bogeyed No. 10.
The lead see-sawed as Todd holed a 15-footer for birdie on 12th as Fowler two-putted from 13 feet for bogey. Todd then went into water on the par-3 14th.
By the end of the day he was one clear of Byeong Hun An, and two ahead of Fowler, but these leads are too small to rely on.
Byeong Hun An sits one shot back in bid for first TOUR victory after 4-under 66. If he wins, he will become the first Korean to win a World Golf Championships title. Byeong has 17 Top-10s in his career, including five this season.
Phil Mickelson (66) and Louis Ooosthuizen (68) were in a group five strokes back.
The 50-year-old Mickelson, who is Tied-sixth, could break his own record as the oldest winner of a WGC event if he takes it this week. Mickelson previously set the record with his win at the 2018 World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship at 47 years, 8 months, 16 days.
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