IRVING, Texas – Australian Jason Day posted a 3-under 67 on Saturday to move atop the leaderboard after the third round of the Byron Nelson Championship.
Day finished at 12-under 198 and is two strokes clear at the TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas.
Second-round co-leader Blake Adams had an even-par 70 on Saturday and is alone in second place at 10-under 200.
Jeff Overton carded a 1-under 69 and is third at minus-9. Kenny Perry (66), Tom Pernice, Jr. (66) and Mark Hensby (64) share fourth place at 7-under 203.
Jordan Spieth, the 16-year-old amateur who became the sixth-youngest player to make the cut in a PGA Tour event, had a 3-under 67 on Saturday and moved into a group tied for seventh at 6-under 204.
‘I’m getting a little jumpy in between shots, I’m walking really fast, and I realize that,’ said Spieth, the reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion. ‘I just can’t help it.’
If the youngster can throw a number on the board Sunday afternoon, he could become the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson at the 1991 Northern Telecom Open.
To do that, Spieth will have to get past another relative youngster in Day.
The 22-year-old Australian was a stroke behind at the start of the third round and immediately bogeyed the first hole. The second-round co-leaders came back to the pack so when Day made a nine-foot birdie putt at the par-3 fifth, he was tied for the lead at 9-under par.
Steve Elkington holed out from a bunker for an eagle and when Day made another nine-foot birdie putt, this time at No. 7, he was once again tied atop the leaderboard.
Day remained tied for the lead after three straight pars around the turn. At the short par-4 11th, Day knocked his drive up near the green and made birdie. He was alone in first at 11-under par, then saved some spectacular pars.
At the par-4 14th, Day drove into the right rough and didn’t get to the green with his second. He hit an average third shot that stopped 20 feet from the hole, but he stepped up and sank the par save to stay atop the leaderboard.
Day kicked in a short birdie putt at the par-4 16th hole. That got him to 12-under par and gave him a two-shot advantage, and it looked like he would need it at the par-4 closing hole.
Day pulled his tee shot into water on the left side. He took a penalty drop and knocked his third shot to 18 feet. Day rolled in the tough par save to stay two clear.
‘My chipping and my putting saved me a lot of mistakes out there,’ said Day.
Day is winless on the PGA Tour, but this is the second time in two years he’s held a piece of the 54-hole lead on tour. He shared top honors after three rounds of last year’s Puerto Rico Open but missed a seven-foot birdie putt on the last hole to miss out on a possible playoff.
The shared second in Puerto Rico was his best finish on the PGA Tour, but he has won in a PGA Tour sanctioned event. Day captured the 2007 Legend Financial Group Classic on the Nationwide Tour.
Spieth was joined in a tie for seventh place by American Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin (69), Arjun Atwal (64), Heath Slocum (65), Sean O’Hair (69) and D.A. Points (70).
NOTES: In honor of the 16-year-old Spieth’s performance this week, officials announced that anyone 16 or under will be allowed into the tournament for free on Sunday...Defending champion Rory Sabbatini struggled to a 3-over 73 on Saturday and fell into a tie for 29th at 2-under par.