Thomas Pieters and Zach Johnson lead the way at Firestone
Monday 7 August 2017 01:38, UK
Thomas Pieters and Zach Johnson head into the final round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational tied for the lead after both birdied the final hole on a low-scoring third day at Firestone.
Pieters had opened up a three-shot lead over the field after a blistering start, although he endured an erratic run on the back nine before matching Johnson's earlier three at the last to join the two-time major winner on nine under par.
Scott Hend made the biggest move of the round as a superb 63 lifted him to eight under, while Rory McIlroy is just three off the pace despite having another frustrating day on the greens in a two-under 68.
First-round leader Pieters had threatened to run away from the chasing pack when he birdied three of the first four holes in an awesome display of ball-striking, and another pure iron from over 200 yards to eight feet at the eighth set up another gain.
A wild drive at the ninth proved costly as the Belgian had to hole a six-footer to limit the damage to a bogey and, after he responded with another birdie at 10, the Ryder Cup star dropped further shots at 13 and 14 before getting back into the outright lead with his seventh birdie of the round at the 16th.
Pieters failed to get up and down from the fringe at 17, but he finished on a high as he holed from over 30 feet for a closing birdie which capped a 66 moments after Johnson had rounded off a 65 with his third birdie over the last five holes.
The two-time major winner outshone playing-partner McIlroy, particularly with the putter, although his round was not without its blemishes as he mixed eight birdies with three bogeys overall and carded only one par from the fifth through to the 11th.
Hend had the clubhouse lead to himself for two hours after a sparkling eight-birdie round, which started with a 25-foot putt for a three at the first before he made three in four holes around his only bogey of the day at the seventh, where he missed from three feet to save par.
But he atoned with a 30-footer for birdie at the next, and his long-range putting continued to fire as he nailed a monster from outside 40 feet at the 10th before getting another lengthy chance to drop at 14.
The Aussie, decked out in Stars and Stripes shoes, picked up another shot at the 15th and it was somewhat fitting that he should close out the low round of the tournament with another confident putt from "only" 15 feet at the last.
Hideki Matsuyama is alone in fourth on seven under after a 67 as late birdies at 14 and 17 which revived his challenge after the world No 2 had started the back nine with consecutive bogeys.
McIlroy again made a confident start and picked up a routine birdie at the second, but a blocked drive at the sixth led to a bogey which he clawed back with an approach to six feet at the ninth and got the putt to drop.
The 2014 champion hacked from rough to rough at the 10th and shaved the hole with his 12-foot par attempt, but McIlroy atoned with a birdie at the next before a sublime pitch in from the greenside rough lifted him to within two of the lead.
But McIlroy missed makeable chances at 13 and 16 as he settled for six closing pars which kept him at six under alongside Adam Hadwin and an erratic Charley Hoffman, who offset four birdies with three bogeys in a rollercoaster inward half.
Scotland's Russell Knox will be looking to put early pressure on the leaders on Sunday after he failed to build on an outward 31 which featured three birdies over the first four holes and another at the ninth.
Knox bogeyed three of the next six holes and dropped another stroke at the 17th, although he did keep himself in with a fighting chance of victory with birdies at 16 and 18 which salvaged a 68.
Paul Casey is a further shot adrift, but Jordan Spieth will have to come from seven behind if he is to clinch his third straight victory as the Open champion struggled to a 71, while overnight leader Jimmy Walker had a day to forget as he dropped five shots in a damaging four-hole run on the front nine.
But the reigning PGA champion lifted his spirits with a faultless inward half, and birdies at 15 and 16 hoisted him back to four under for the tournament.
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