SAN ANTONIO — In challenging conditions marked by 30 mph winds, Brian Harman maintained his composure to secure an even-par 72, gaining a three-stroke lead during an arduous Valero Texas Open. The course’s difficulty was underscored by the fact that only six players managed to break par.
Harman had the opportunity to finish under par but narrowly missed a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole at TPC San Antonio. Despite this, he was pleased to hold a 54-hole lead, something he last accomplished when he won the British Open at Royal Liverpool two years ago. Harman remains optimistic about ending his winless streak with this promising position.
Reflecting on the day, Harman remarked, “Just a tough day, man. When you get around this place and the wind blows and the pins are tucked, it’s just a really hard day.” He concluded at 12-under 204, with Andrew Novak trailing three shots behind after shooting a 69, and Tom Hoge another shot behind them with a 68 as they head into the final round. Keith Mitchell, at five shots back following a 73, is among those who must win to qualify for the Masters next week.
Andrew Novak, seeking his first PGA Tour title, owes part of his persistence to a fortunate rebound. When he miscalculated a 5-iron on the par-3 16th, it ricocheted off a wall, landing improbably onto the green just five feet from the hole, resulting in an unexpected birdie. “Obviously, not a great shot, but I know if it’s over there, there’s some space, it can be OK,” Novak commented. “I didn’t expect it to kick back and go on the green. That was obviously ridiculous. Not the best swing and sometimes golf rewards you.”
Rewards were scarce on a day dominated by opposite-direction winds. Shooting par on the Oaks course was a significant achievement as scores were nearly two strokes over par on average. Harman kept his score steady by making late birdies from bunkers on the par-5 14th and the par-4 17th, both among the few birdie opportunities available.
Keith Mitchell also capitalized on these holes for birdies, acknowledging the challenges posed by the wind and course layout. “That (17) and 14 were really the only two birdie chances we had all day,” Mitchell noted. “Everything else you were just trying to find a green, trying to find a way to just stop the ball. Just wish I was a little closer to Brian. He made two birdies coming in. Still got a chance.”
Tom Hoge managed an impressive bogey-free round, a feat in itself amid such conditions. Starting early, he quickly realized the challenge presented not only by its flag-flattening winds but also by the unyielding greens. Regardless of the wind direction, getting close to the flag was tough. “Just tried to make as many pars as I could,” Hoge stated. “Even the downwind holes right off the start on hole 1, I had a 56-degree wedge, I wasn’t sure I could hit the green with it because it was bouncing that much when I did land the green.”
Both Hoge and Mitchell birdied the 14th and 17th holes, confirming these were among the few favorable spots for scoring in the round. Only two other holes played under par.
Elsewhere on the leaderboard, Sam Ryder faded from contention after an opening 63, carding a disappointing 77 marked by eight bogeys. Meanwhile, Patrick Cantlay struggled with late front-nine bogeys, resulting in a 74 that placed him eight shots back. Jordan Spieth finished a stroke behind Cantlay after recording a 73.
Amid the competitiveness, Brian Harman faced a challenging front nine but managed to hold on. He executed a great chip on the par-3 seventh, made critical saves from the bunker on the par-5 eighth, and holed a six-foot par putt on the ninth. Harman praised his short game, saying, “Just leaning on my short game today, chipped it in there close a few times. The stat sheet won’t say it, but I made some solid par putts — 5-footers, 6-footers, 8-footers — that don’t show up as pretty. But they sure keep your round alive.”