Webb Simpson felt almost as if he had just played a round in a major after a steamy Saturday at the Dean & Deluca Invitational.
For the 2012 US Open champion and pretty much everyone else at Hogan’s Alley, it was a mentally draining day at the traditional tree-lined course, where temperatures were in the upper 90s, with a heat index of 108 degrees and wind gusting to 25 mph.
‘There is so much thinking involved on every shot,’ Simpson said.
Even so, Simpson shot a 3-under 67 to break out of a crowd and take the third-round lead.
At 9-under 201, Simpson was two strokes ahead of Paul Casey (68) and Danny Lee (69), after both made long birdie putts at the 18th hole. Stewart Cink (66) and Kevin Kisner (70) were three strokes off the lead.
‘It was a good grind day,’ Lee said. ‘It’s tough out there with the wind blowing sideways.’ Defending champion Jordan Spieth shot 68 to get to 4 under, even with caddie Michael Greller leaving the course after 11 holes because of heat exhaustion.
Part of a four-way tie for the 36-hole lead, Simpson went ahead alone after consecutive birdies to start his back nine. He made a 6-foot birdie putt at the 387-yard 10th and a 12-footer at the 630-yard 11th, before finishing with seven consecutive pars.
It is only the second time in 12 years for the 54-hole leader at Dean & Deluca to have more than a one-stroke advantage.
Simpson leads after three rounds for the fifth time in his career, and the first since the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in October 2013 that was also the last of his four PGA Tour victories. He lost in a playoff to Hideki Matsuyama at Phoenix in February.
‘Definitely feel like (the season has) ebbed and flowed,’ he said. ‘I feel like that’s starting to happen more, where I’m part of the conversation of contending. That’s a good feeling. I know what I’m doing is working.’
Playing in the final group, Simpson birdied the first two holes Saturday. He gave one of those back with a bogey at the par-3, 192-yard eighth after missing the green with his tee shot. His only other birdies were at Nos 10 and 11.
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