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James Hahn shoots 64 to take lead at Byron Nelson

 
Despite coming within inches of eagle on 16 and birdie on 17, James Hahn shoots bogey-free 64 for a one-stroke lead.
Despite coming within inches of eagle on 16 and birdie on 17, James Hahn shoots bogey-free 64 for a one-stroke lead.
Published May 21, 2017

IRVING, Texas — James Hahn knows how close he came to making a couple of more putts down the stretch in the third round of the Byron Nelson. He still did enough to take the lead.

Even with his eagle chance at the 16th and birdie putt at 17 both stopping inches short, Hahn shot bogey-free 6-under 64 Saturday to finish ahead of several players who had birdie streaks.

"That's golf," Hahn said.

As for replaying those so-close putts in his mind, or thinking about having the 54-hole lead, the two-time PGA Tour winner had other plans after finishing his round.

"Tell me what my tee time (is) and I'll just show up. You know, prepping for (today) I feel like is so hard. Sleeping on the lead, you can overthink it," he said. "I just like to go home with my wife, our 2-year-old daughter, watch some cartoons. Just kind of keep everything low key, casual."

With his 12-under 198, Hahn was a stroke ahead of former Gator standout Billy Horschel, who birdied his last three holes for 66 to take over second place.

Jason Day had his own string of birdies, five in a row midway through his round, then a 60-footer at the 17th, during his 63 that was the best of the day and got him to 10 under. The fourth-ranked player in the world was tied for third with Jason Kokrak, who shot 72 after setting a Nelson 36-hole record with a five-stroke lead.

"I'm definitely not out of this golf tournament," Kokrak said. "I'd rather be stalking people than any other way."

Cameron Tringale and Sergio Garcia also finished with birdies on Nos. 16-18. Tringale was fifth at 9 under after 67, with defending Nelson champion and Masters winner Garcia tied for sixth at 8 under after 64 that also included three straight birdies at Nos. 11-13.

Top-ranked Dustin Johnson shot 71 with five bogeys and four birdies and was seven strokes off the lead, tied for 19th.

LPGA: Lexi Thompson remained in position for her first victory since a rules infraction cost her a major title, shooting 2-under 69 to take a three-stroke lead over In Gee Chun into the final round of the Kingsmill Championship in Williamsburg, Va. Thompson is playing her third event since losing the ANA Inspiration in a playoff after being penalized four strokes for a rules violation that a TV viewer reported. The long hitter had three birdies and bogey — on the par-3 17th — to reach 14-under 199 on Kingsmill's River Course. Chun had 67.

CHAMPIONS: Fred Funk shot 2-under 70 to hold on to the third-round lead at the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Ala. Funk, who held a one-stroke lead after the second round, has 14-under 202 to maintain a one-stroke edge over Scott Parel (70) in the first of the tour's five majors. Bernhard Langer (66) and Scott McCarron (69) are two shots back.