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Sebastian Munoz leads for third straight day at The Greenbrier Classic
Jared C. Tilton
The putter was red hot the first two days for Sebastian Munoz at The Greenbrier Classic, and that didn't change on Saturday. The PGA Tour rookie seemingly made everything, leading to a two-under 68 that has given him a two-stroke lead at 14-under 196 heading into the final round.
Munoz, 24, made four putts of greater than 10 feet in the third round, including a 35-footer on the par-3 15th for his fourth and final birdie of the day. Winning on Sunday in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., would give Munoz his first win in just his 12th start on the PGA Tour. It would also make him the first wire-to-wire winner in the tournament's seven-year history.
Two back at 12-under 198 is Robert Streb, who posted a five-under 65, his second 65 of the week. Streb, 30, made four birdies on the front nine, but dropped two shots along the way to turn in two-under 32. After a par on the 10th and a birdie on the 11th, the 2014 McGladrey Classic winner faced a gnarly lie on his 231-yard second shot on the par-5 12th. He pulled off the shot of the day, nearly holing it, using the slope perfectly to run it up to tap-in range to make his eagle three. He would par every hole the rest of the way to finish with one of the best rounds in the field on Saturday.
It's not the first time Streb has found himself in contention at the Old White TPC. In 2015, he carded a final-round 65 to earn a spot in the sudden-death playoff, which he eventually lost to Danny Lee. A win on Sunday would give the Oklahoma native the second of his career.
Tied at 11-under 199 are Jamie Lovemark and Xander Schauffele, who both shot four-under 66s. Schauffele is continuing to ride the momentum he gained at the U.S. Open, where the PGA Tour rookie finished in a tie for fifth. In his last five events, he's made every cut and finished in the top-15 twice. The 23-year-old's round was highlighted by a 60-foot eagle putt on the par-5 12th. Coming back from three shots to win on Sunday would give him the first win of his young career.
Lovemark, 29, has been on tour for five years, but he too is searching for his first win. He has put together a solid 2017 campaign, with three top-10s, six top-25s and more than $1.2 million in earnings. The 2007 NCAA individual champion is making his third appearance at The Greenbrier, where he previously missed the cut (2012) and finished in solo 85th (2014).
Davis Love III hit the ball well Saturday, but the putter failed him. He was still able to post a two-under 68 thanks to hitting 14 of 18 greens in regulation and 11 of 14 fairways. He's tied at 10-under 200 with Kelly Kraft and Russell Henley.