Bill Haas took a swing tip from his father on Tuesday and converted it into a 54-hole lead at the Valspar Championship.
Haas atoned for a three-putt bogey on the 13th by chipping in for birdie from behind the 15th green on his way to a four-under 67 on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) at Innisbrook, giving him a one-shot lead over Graham DeLaet of Canada going into the final round.
Jay Haas, a nine-time PGA Tour winner and the Presidents Cup captain the past two times, had a week off from the PGA Tour Champions and spent three days with his son. It was on the par-5 fifth hole during a practice round that the father suggested Haas use a more abbreviated follow on his swing to get his hands moving faster.
It seems to have worked.
On a Copperhead course that has yet to yield a round lower than 66, Haas put together his second straight 67 to reach eight-under 205.
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DeLaet, now sporting a beard that would make Old Tom Morris proud, pounded a shot out of the rough and over the water to three feet on the par-5 14th for an eagle that shot him up the leaderboard, and he finished with a 68 to get into the last group.
It's still up in the grabs on Sunday because of the nature of Innisbrook, which takes shots away more often than it gives up birdies. Six players were within four shots of the lead, and even Jordan Spieth believes he is still in the mix.
Spieth, who opened his title defence with a 76, made the cut with one shot to spare on Friday and moved into a tie for ninth on Saturday with a bogey-free 67 in which he holed a long eagle putt and made a pair of key par saves coming in.
"To think after the first round that I go Saturday night be able to sleep with a chance to win the golf tournament, I'm very pleased with that," Spieth said.
Cameron Smith is the best placed Australian in a tie for 30th, nine shots behind the leader Haas.
