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By DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Author
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — Robert Streb stored his sport from coming undone over the primary hour Saturday, after which pieced collectively sufficient birdies for a 3-under 67 to construct a three-shot lead going into the ultimate spherical of the RSM Traditional.
Streb got here from 5 pictures behind when he gained at Sea Island six years in the past, his solely PGA Tour title. This time, he has a lead over Zach Johnson (65) and Bronson Burgoon (67).
Streb was at 17-under 195.
Camilo Villegas pulled inside one shot on the lead going to the again 9 of the Seaside course till a two-shot swing on the 10th that value him momentum. Streb hit his strategy to eight toes for birdie. Villegas was simply on the perimeter 15 toes away, ran it by 5 toes and missed that to fall three pictures again.
Villegas added a bogey on the 13th, did not make a birdie on the again 9 and needed to accept a 70. He was 5 pictures behind as he tries to win for the primary time since 5 years, and following a summer time during which his 2-year-old daughter died of tumors on her mind and backbone.
Streb needed to earn again his full PGA Tour card a 12 months in the past, after which missed the PGA Tour postseason for the third straight 12 months. He stored his standing due to the pandemic-shortened 12 months, and a victory Sunday would give him an exemption via August 2023.
Even so, he is aware of from expertise to not look too far forward.
It was in 2014 when Streb closed with a 63 to make up a five-shot deficit earlier than successful a three-man playoff. Six gamers had been inside 5 pictures of the lead going into Sunday.
Even with no spectators and solely restricted company shoppers allowed, Johnson will really feel a complete neighborhood behind. He lives at Sea Island, and no resident has ever gained this occasion. Winless because the 2015 British Open at St. Andrews, Johnson rallied late with three birdies over his final 5 holes, ending with a 30-foot birdie putt.
Burgoon had 5 birdies in a six-hole stretch on the again 9 — the exception was a bogey on the 14th, taking part in straight into a robust wind alongside the water — to beat a tough begin and get into the ultimate group.
Emiliano Grillo had a65 and was 4 pictures behind, whereas Kevin Kisner (66) and Kyle Stanley (68) had been 5 again.
Streb started his spherical with a fast hook and escaped bother with par. From the left facet of the second fairway, 123 yards to a again pin and going through the wind, he left it on the entrance of the inexperienced and needed to two-putt from 75 toes. He got here up properly in need of the inexperienced on the par-Three third and needed to get up-and-down from 65 meet, making an 8-foot par putt.
“It wasn’t the best begin, however received out of there with a bunch of pars and tried to search out some consistency and it received higher,” Streb stated.
It by no means felt simple, however he wasn’t dropping any floor. He made his first birdie with a sand wedge to three toes on No. 8, and the remainder of the spherical was comparatively stress-free apart from a few extra two-putts from 50 toes or longer.
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