Glover maintains one-shot lead going into final round of FESJC, Rose ties course record

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) -A lot changed during round three of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, but the leader remained the same. Lucas Glover remains on top by one shot for the second day in a row.

The South Carolina native shot a 66, -4 on the day, to sit at -14 going into the final round of the tournament. It was a solid afternoon for Glover, despite him admitting he didn’t have his best stuff.

“It was scrappy would be how I would describe that day,” Glover said. “Parts of it you could remove the ‘s’. I got a lot out of what I had. Short game bailed me out a lot early. Missed a couple of putts I thought I should’ve made coming in.

“But three months ago, if you told me I’d be mad at 66, I’d say you’re crazy. So splitting hairs, but it was a little bit of smoke and mirrors today just to be honest. But I’m still in a good spot.”

Glover is going for back-to-back wins after claiming victory at the Wyndham Championship last weekend.

No one had a better day than Justin Rose, who tied the TPC Southwind course record with a 61. The Brit got off to a blazing start, shooting -6 through the first nine holes. Rose was -9 through 16 and had a shot to break the course record with a birdie on 17 or 18, he ended with a par on both.

It was quite the turnaround for Rose, who started the tournament by shooting +6 on Thursday. Rose was happy with the 61, but was aiming for a score even lower than that.

“I was aware of 59, that was really my primary objective,” Rose said. “Middle of the 15th fairway, at 8-under, that’s a sand wedge into the green, hit a good shot over the top of the flag. And that’s one of the challenges all of the players are having this week, is just controlling your distances with your short irons. The ball is going so far because of the heat. And the obviously 16 is an opportunity where you can throw an eagle at it or something.

“So I knew that 59 was on the cards. And then the last two holes the wind kind of picked up, we’re on the edge of a storm it feels like, and the last two holes played pretty tricky. But in the end happy to kind of end up with two pars. But yeah actually didn’t realize 61 was the course record, but that’s nice. Great, nice little bonus for the day.”

Unfortunately because of how poor his Thursday was, Rose is still eight shots off the lead going into the final round.

Right behind Glover is Taylor Moore. The 30-year-old put together his best round of the weekend, a 65, -5 on the day. He sits one shot behind Glover at -13.

The former Razorback feels good about his chances of being the hunter on Sunday.

“Yeah, solid,” said Moore. “I mean I was a couple of shots back on Sunday at Valspar and won there. I think anytime you’re within a couple of shots on the back nine out here on Sunday you’ve got a legit shot. So definitely in a good position and just trying to go do it again.”

Tommy Fleetwood sits all by himself at third at -12 after shooting a 66 for the third day in a row. The Brit is seeking his first PGA Tour win, but says he isn’t changing his strategy going into Sunday despite being two shots back.

“No I don’t think so,” said Fleetwood on changing his strategy. “I was just saying, at the moment, everything I’m doing is going really, really well. And I’m having more good days than bad days and it’s just about going into tomorrow doing the same thing, warming up the same and focusing on having another good day and winning the day, and we’ll see where we end up at the end of it.

“But play well, just keep hitting golf shots, just keep giving yourself chances.”

Most of the leaders start their final round around noon on Sunday.

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