May 21, 2017: James Hahn knows how close he came to making a couple of more putts down the stretch in the third round of the AT&T 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 just inches short, Hahn shot a bogey-free 6-under 64 on 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 and I’ll just show up. You know, prepping for tomorrow 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 total Hahn was a stroke ahead of Billy Horschel, who birdied his last three holes for a 66 to take second place alone.
Jason Day had his own string of birdies, five in a row midway through his round and then a 60-footer at the 17th, during a 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 Kokrak, who shot a 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 a 67, with defending Nelson champion and Masters Tournament winner Garcia tied for sixth at 8 under after a 64 that also included three straight birdies at Nos. 11-13.
“I wasn’t that far off on the front,” Garcia said. “Then finally on the back nine … started rolling some putts in, and it all comes down to that. Get a little momentum and confidence.”
Top-ranked Dustin Johnson shot a 71 with five bogeys and four birdies and was seven strokes off the lead, tied for 19th.
Hahn shared the first-round lead after an opening 64, but slipped back with a 70 on Friday before another impressive round for him at TPC Four Seasons that included a 65-foot chip-in birdie at the par-4 No. 3 hole. This is Hahn’s fourth Nelson, and he has shot 64 or 65 in half of his 14 rounds there.
PGA Tour Release
