Sebastian Munoz shot a 2-under 68 on Saturday to maintain a two-stroke lead over Robert Streb after the third round of The Greenbrier Classic, keeping the PGA Tour rookie in position to become the tournament’s first wire-to-wire winner.
The 24-year-old Colombian was at 14-under 196 at Old White TPC. Streb shot a 65.
Rookie Xander Schauffele and Jamie Lovemark were 11 under after 66s.
Davis Love III was at 10 under after a 68. At 53, he’s trying to become the oldest winner on the PGA Tour.
Kelly Kraft (67) and Russell Henley (68) also were 10 under.
After Round 3 of @GbrClassic, @jsmunozgolf holds the 54-hole lead for the first time in his career. pic.twitter.com/7v80PF7sEd
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 8, 2017
Nick Taylor (69) of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian at 8 under and tied for eighth. Brantford native David Hearn (70) is 6 under, Graham DeLaet (71) of Weyburn, Sask., is 5 under and Mackenzie Hughes (71) of Dundas, Ont., is 3 under.
While his birdie pace slowed to a trickle, Munoz overcame several miscues to stay atop the leaderboard. He saved par on the ninth hole after driving under a tree, regained the lead with a 26-foot birdie putt on the par-4 13th after driving into the rough, and added a 36-footer for birdie on the par-4 15th.
Streb, five strokes behind Munoz entering the day, birdied the 490-yard 11th and hit his 231-yard approach shot next to the flag and made eagle at the par-5 12th.
He’d like to do a little better than in 2015 at the tournament, when he lost in a four-man playoff won by Danny Lee.
That year, Streb broke his putter on the ninth hole in the final round when he tossed it at his bag next to the green. He made five birdie putts on the back nine with a 56-degree wedge. He was able to put a new putter in his bag for the playoff but was eliminated on the first extra without ever getting to use it.
From 231 yards in the rough to 1' 6".#MustSeeMoments https://t.co/FsTIfvRzbO pic.twitter.com/dPj0ruAsGx
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 8, 2017
That year, Streb broke his putter on the ninth hole in the final round when he tossed it at his bag next to the green. He made five birdie putts on the back nine with a 56-degree wedge. He was able to put a new putter in his bag for the playoff but was eliminated on the first extra without ever getting to use it.
Streb’s only top-10 finish this season was a tie for ninth at the Farmers Insurance Open. Munoz is still looking to crack the top 10. At the St. Jude Classic last month, Munoz was tied for the lead through 36 holes, but he played the final two rounds in 11 over and tied for 60th.
Love is among those trying to earn a spot in the British Open in two weeks. The leading four players not already exempt from the top 12 finishers will earn spots. Henley is the only player in the top 10 who has already qualified.
Age record-holder Sam Snead won the last of his eight titles at Greensboro in 1965 at 52 years, 10 months, 8 days. Love will try to break the mark at Snead’s former playground. Snead was the longtime head pro and pro emeritus at The Greenbrier resort. He died in 2002.
Kraft was tied for the lead with Munoz until making a double bogey at No. 13 and bogey at No. 14. Schauffele, another PGA Tour rookie, shot onto the leaderboard with a 60-foot eagle putt at No. 12.
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