Viktor Hovland was steady amid a wild Saturday of charges and collapses at the Valspar Championship, leaving him in a three-way tie for the lead at Innisbrook with two dozen players still very much in the mix.
Jacob Bridgeman showed plenty of mettle in his first time as the 36-hole leader, falling four shots behind at the turn and rallying for a one-under 70 to share the lead with Hovland (69) and Nico Echavarria (66).
They were at seven-under with seemingly everyone on their heels. That includes Justin Thomas, who left on Friday hopeful he would make the cut. He shot 30 on the back nine for a 65, his lowest round ever on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook, to finish two behind.
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Jordan Spieth was entertaining as ever, twice making birdie from deep in the woods, and along with missing a pair of short par putts, and having to settle for a 67.
He still was only four shots behind going into a Sunday in which 23 players were separated by four shots.
Byeong Hun An was the only player to reach nine-under with a birdie on the 11th hole, only to make five bogeys over the final seven holes for a 72.
“It’s fun to be in contention, but it is a little bit more stressful when you don’t feel super comfortable over the ball,” Hovland said. “But man, it’s fun to see some putts go in and still see the ball end up close to the hole and put some good scores up there.”
Echavarria, who won in Japan last fall for his second PGA Tour title, finished well ahead of the final groups and played bogey-free for his 66, remarkably making birdie on all three of the par 3s on the back nine.
“This is a golf course where you don’t have to be one off the lead starting to get the leaders,” he said. “We have seen that it’s a hard golf course. You have to drive your ball very well out here. You have to hit the greens. It’s tough around the greens. So we’re going to have a chance tomorrow having a good round.”
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Ricky Castillo enjoyed a 68 and was one shot behind. Thomas and Shane Lowry (70) were among five players at five-under, with An and Billy Horschel (69) in the large group another shot behind. Lucas Glover (69) was part of the group with Spieth at four behind.
“The leaderboard is stacked. There’s probably like 25 guys – 30 guys maybe – that can still win this golf tournament,” said Jeremy Paul of Germany, who shot 70 and was in the group two shots behind. “Trying to put a good round together and see where it puts me.”
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