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Spaun leads by one shot in Honolulu

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epa11159793 J.J. Spaun of the US hits the ball on hole 10 fairway during the second round of 2024 The Genesis Invitational at The Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, California, USA, 16 February 2024. EPA/ETIENNE LAURENT

JJ Spaun shot a 5-under-par 65 to move into the lead after three rounds of the Sony Open on Saturday at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, ahead of second-round co-leader Patrick Fishburn (68), Eric Cole (67) and Germany’s Stephan Jaeger (62) by one stroke.

Spaun is on a 13-under 197 going to Sunday’s final round in his 219th PGA Tour event, and is seeking his second victory. The first came in the 2022 Texas Open.

“I’ve felt pretty calm and relaxed,” Spaun said. “It’s always laid-back and easygoing. I’ve been carrying that mindset on the course, and it’s easy to feel that way when things are going your way and you’re playing well.”

Jaeger had the best score of the day, with birdies on six of the final 10 holes and equaled the best round of his professional career.

“To shoot a great round and be in contention is nice,” Jaeger said.

Spaun, Jaeger and Cole will be in the final grouping Sunday.

Keegan Bradley (64) Englishman Harry Hall (65) and Canadian Nick Taylor (65) are among a cluster of six golfers tied for fifth at 11 under. Bradley was the Sony Open runner-up last year.

Brian Harman (66) also is at 11 under. He was the only golfer in the field without a bogey or worse through 36 holes, a string that ended Saturday on the sixth hole. He had five birdies after that.

South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen was five under for the tournament on 205 after a thjird round 68 which Aldrich Potgieter missed the cut.