LIV Jeddah: Brooks Koepka shots bogey-free round to take three-stroke lead in Saudi Arabia
Brooks Koepka moves into lead at LIV Jeddah standing at 12-under, ahead of Sergio Garcia of Spain and Charles Howell III; Garcia's Fireballs and Koepka's Smash are tied for second in team play
Saturday 14 October 2023 18:03, UK
Brooks Koepka shot a bogey-free 64 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead heading into the final round of the LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
The defending champion enjoyed four birdies in a row on holes three to six, part of his eight on the round in the $25m regular season-ending event at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.
He stands at 12 under ahead of Sergio Garcia of Spain, who followed Friday's 68 with a 63, and Charles Howell III (64).
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Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe fired a 62 behind seven birdies and an eagle to move into a tie for fourth with Bryson DeChambeau (63), four strokes back of Koepka at eight under.
First-round leader Marc Leishman of Australia, who recorded a 65 to take the lead on Friday, responded with a five-over-par 70 and fell into a tie for 21st at three under par.
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Garcia said the weather and the course proved better on Saturday than on Friday.
"It was a really nice round, obviously," he said. "The course conditions were a little bit more favourable than yesterday. Yesterday was much windier. It was a lot trickier. A couple of tougher pins yesterday, I guess."
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Garcia said a key to the round was consecutive birdies on the final two holes, part of a strong finish.
"I finished with four birdies on my last five," he said. "Obviously there's moments here and there, but I also made a couple really good up-and-downs on 11 and 12 to keep my round going, and then thanks to that, I birdied 13 and 14.
"I think that I played nicely. I got a lot out of my round, and I'm very happy with that."
In team play, Garcia's Fireballs and Koepka's Smash are tied for second at 19 under, three strokes behind DeChambeau's Crushers.
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