Hovland part of 3-way tie for lead at crowded Valspar Championship

By Canadian Press on March 22, 2025.

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — 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 1-under 70 to share the lead with Hovland (69) and Nico Echavarria (66).

They were at 7-under 206 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.

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 9 under with a birdie on the 11th hole, only to make five bogeys over the final seven holes for a 72. Even so, he was only three back.

Hovland came into the week in search of his swing, returning to another coach and being willing to take as much time as he needed to figure out where the ball is going. It’s working out in his favour so far.

“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.

The Colombian didn’t expect to have a share of the lead when he finished, though he knew he would at least have a chance.

“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.”

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., is in a six-way tie for 11th at 4 under, three shots behind the co-leaders. Mackenzie Hughes of Hamilton, Ont., is in a nine-way tie for 40th at even par.

Most impressive was Bridgeman, a second-year player who began the third round by missing a 3-foot par putt. He also took two straight bogeys to finish the front nine and was falling behind. But then he hit wedge to 3 feet for birdie on the 10th and worked his way back. At one point, Bridgeman had seven straight holes without a par.

“I was just head down and grind the best I could,” Bridgeman said. “I wasn’t hitting it great. I wasn’t flustered, I wasn’t really freaking out. But I knew if I could get the ball in the fairway I would be fine.”

He said after the birdie on 10 his caddie G.W. Cable slapped him on the behind and told him, “Let’s go.”

“And I kept it up,” Bridgeman said.

Thomas and Spieth teed off some five hours before the leaders, longtime friends who took turns posting birdies. Thomas felt frustrated not to make up much ground until he holed an eagle putt from just inside 30 feet on the par-5 11th hole and was on his way. Thomas birdied the next three holes and at one point was one shot behind.

“We got on a little four-hole run there and that can be the difference of sparking an entire week or not,” Thomas said. “So hopefully that’s the one that sparks the week.”

Ricky Castillo had a 68 and was one shot behind. Thomas and Shane Lowry (70) were among five players at 5-under 208, 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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The Associated Press