Lowry moves up in Tampa as rookie Riley takes control
Shane Lowry watches a putt on the fifth green during the first round at the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, Calif. on Thursday, June 17, 2021. (Jeff Haynes/USGA)
Shane Lowry holed over 100 feet of putts and fired his eighth sub-par score in his last 10 rounds to go into the final day of the Valspar Championship just three shots outside the top 10.
The popular Offalyman holed little on the first three days but he made three putts outside 10 feet (14 feet at the fourth, 22 feet at the 15th and 32 feet at the 16th) in a three-under 68 to move up nine places to tied 16th on eight-under-par.
Only new leader Davis Riley gained more strokes on the field with the putter than Lowry in the third round at Innisbrook’s Copperhead Resort, picking up nearly four shots on the greens as he carded a nine-under 62 to lead by two strokes from overnight leader Matthew NeSmith with a championship record aggregate of 18-under par.
Playing in just his 25th PGA Tour event, Riley (25) made it look easy alongside fellow University of Alabama star Justin Thomas, who is just three shots behind, tied for third with defending champion Sam Burns after a third straight 66.
“It was really impressive,” Thomas said of Riley’s magical day. “It's a big moment for a rookie. He handled it like a rock star and made nine-under look very, very easy ... barring a crazy chip-in there on nine.”
The chip was actually a slam dunk bunker shot from 70 feet for his fifth birdie in his opening nine.
NeSmith had gone to the turn in four-under before he made his first bogey of the week at the 10th in a two-over par back nine as he followed his course record-equalling 61 with a 69.
According to PGATour.com:
“Riley finished ninth in the Korn Ferry Tour’s combined 2020-21 points list to earn his promotion to the PGA TOUR last fall. Along the way, he won the 2020 Panama Championship and the 2020 TPC San Antonio Championship. Different stages, sure, but proving himself there is something he hopes to call upon as he chases a maiden PGA TOUR title on Sunday at Valspar. '
“No matter the stage, it's hard to win a golf tournament,” Riley said. “Just being in contention and having that blood flowing is huge. Any time you can get just a pinch of that and get that experience is huge, and winning twice served me well.”
Lowry felt he got little reward for his good play in the first two rounds but he scored better on Saturday, making four birdies in his first 16 holes before he failed to get up and down from green side sand at the 189-yard 17th.
It was a rare loose iron shot by the Clara man, who is second for scrambling (16 out of 18) and ranked fourth for proximity to the hole as he builds up for the ultimate test in short game and iron play, the Masters, in just over three weeks.
Third-Round Notes -- Saturday, March 19, 2022
Weather: Partly cloudy. High of 82. Wind SW 7-14 mph.
Third-Round Leaderboard
Davis Riley 65-68-62--195 (-18)
Matthew NeSmith 67-61-69--197 (-16)
Justin Thomas 66-66-66--198 (-15)
Sam Burns 64-67-67--198 (-15)
Adam Hadwin 64-66-70--200 (-13)
Things to Know
Davis Riley seeks first PGA TOUR win in 25th career start after a career-low, bogey-free 9-under 62
Riley's 195 total sets 54-hole Valspar Championship record
Riley, a PGA TOUR rookie, holds the lead/co-lead after any round for the first time in his PGA TOUR career
Last rookie winner on TOUR: Garrick Higgo/2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree
After setting the Valspar Championship 36-hole scoring record and tying the 18-hole tournament low score, Matthew NeSmith sits two shots back
Defending champion Sam Burns (T3) seeks to join Paul Casey (2019) as the only players to successfully defend a title at the Valspar Championship
Third-Round Lead Notes
11 Third-round leaders/co-leaders to win the Valspar Championship (most recent: Sam Burns, 2021)
7 Third-round leaders/co-leaders to win on TOUR in 2021-22 (most recent: Ryan Brehm, Puerto Rico Open)
Davis Riley (1st/-18)
Category Entering the week
Age 25 (December 17, 1996)
FedExCup 121
OWGR 399
Starts -- wins -- top-10s in PGA TOUR career 24-0-1
Starts -- wins -- top-10s in 2021-2022 season 13-0-1
Starts -- wins -- top-10s at Valspar Championship 0-0-0
Posts 5-under 31 on his outward nine at Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead) en route to a bogey-free 9-under 62; marks his career-low round on TOUR (previous: 65/R1/2022 Sony Open in Hawaii)
Needed just 20 putts, his fewest putts in a round and ties the fewest in a round in Valspar Championship history (Ted Potter Jr./R3/2021)
At 195 (-18), sets the 54-hole scoring record at the Valspar Championship (previous 199: K.J. Choi/2002, Adam Hadwin/2017, Keegan Bradley/2021, Sam Burns/2021)
Seeks his first career PGA TOUR title in his 25th start; best career PGA TOUR finish: T7/2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Last rookie winner on TOUR: Garrick Higgo/2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree
Holds first lead/co-lead after any round of his career on the PGA TOUR
Best position after any round on TOUR prior to this week: T5/R2/2022 Sony Open in Hawaii (T20)
Best 54-hole position prior to this week: T15/2022 American Express (T59)
Would become the sixth player to pick up his first PGA TOUR victory at the Valspar Championship, joining Carl Pettersson (2005), Gary Woodland (2011), Kevin Streelman (2013), Adam Hadwin (2017), Sam Burns (2021)
Leads the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (3.537 total), SG: Around the Green (4.818 total), SG: Putting (7.691)
Finished the 2020-21 combined season No. 9 in the Korn Ferry Tour points standings after recording two wins (2020 Panama Championship, 2020 TPC San Antonio Championship at the Oaks)
Additional Player Notes
After setting the Valspar Championship 36-hole scoring record and tying the 18-hole tournament low score, with his 10-under 61 in round two, Matthew NeSmith (2nd/-16) followed with a 2-under 69; the South Carolina native seeks first career PGA TOUR title in his 72nd TOUR start (best: T6/2020 Puerto Rico Open)
Seeking his 15th TOUR victory, Justin Thomas (T3/-15) posts third-straight 66; leads the field in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (9.029 total)
Making fourth event start, Sam Burns (T3/-15) seeks to join Paul Casey (2019) as the only players to successfully defend a title at the Valspar Championship; in search of third PGA TOUR title (2021 Valspar Championship, 2021 Sanderson Farms Championship)
With a win, 2017 Valspar Championship winner and 18-hole co-leader Adam Hadwin (5th/-13) would become the event's fourth multiple winner (K.J. Choi, Retief Goosen, Paul Casey)
Making his first start at the Valspar Championship, Xander Schauffele (T6/-11) sits seven shots back; last player to win the event in his debut appearance was Gary Woodland in 2011
There have been six rounds of 64 or better, the most through three rounds at the Valspar Championship (previous: 5/2004)
