22 February 2020: A third straight 70 moved Anirban Lahiri to 6-under in T38 after the third round of the Puerto Rico Open. Arjun Atwal shot an even 72 on Saturday. Viktor Hovland fired a 64 to inch ahead over Martin Laird who is lying second at 17-under 199. He made a 63 in the third round. Josh Teater is in third at 16-under, two strokes behind the leader.
Hovland shot eight birdies in a spotless trek around the course in Rio Grande. Laird went one better with two eagles and five birdies to move four spots into second, just one behind the leader.
Teater also kept his sheet clean as he went through the round with six birdies.
Lahiri pressed hard, playing an aggressive brand of golf as he sought to make a move up the order. Lahiri made seven birdies but also conceded five bogeys as he settled for a third straight 70.
Arjun Atwal made a bogey at the fourth hole, but recovered immediately with an eagle three at the fifth hole. He made another birdie at the 12th but bogeys at 13 & 18 pushed him back to even par for the day.
At 4-under par, Atwal is lying T54, with most of his work done on Friday in an impeccable 67.
“Hopefully, I just continue doing what I have been doing the first three days,” Hovland said. “It would be unbelievable to have won on the tour already, but I’m just worried about tomorrow. Hopefully, I can hit some good shots and make some putts.'”
“I played really well today, kind of the same round as the last two, just been playing really solid off the tee and been hitting a lot of really good iron shots into the greens,” Hovland said. “Early on in the round I didn’t really make that many putts, but I did a really good job of just staying calm. Thankfully, on the back nine I started making a couple putts and got me going.”
The low score of the day belonged to Laird. “Today was a great day, putts were going in,” Laird said after shooting 63. “I’ve been hitting it great all week. Yesterday, I hit it just as good and just putts were all over the hole and didn’t go in and then today, they did. Nice bonus on 10. Holing a wedge is always a little boost.”
