PGA Tour : Valero Texas Open Leaderboard
Saturday in San Antonio dawned, temperatures which had topped the 90's F had dropped to the mid 60's with the wind 15mph gusting much higher blowing down from the north. The treelined Oaks course was sure to provide a stiffer challenge.
As it turned out, the field scored an average 71.6 rose to 73.8. Only 7 players got around under par.
Lefty Brian Harman had posted 66 66, the best of the field by 4 shots. I'm not a big stats guy, but suffice to say he was leading or near the top in strokes gained both off the tee and approaching the green, and for those who watched him put on a putting clinic winning the 2023 Open at Royal Liverpool, he is one of the best with the flat stick.
He stayed out of trouble posting E 72, enough to keep a lead of 3 shots at -12 with another cold, windy day ahead on Sunday.
Canada's Corey Conners has two wins on his resume, both here. He began the week inauspiciously 71 71 -2, well back in the pack.
However Saturday he was cruising, playing off the 10th tee, controlling his ball in the blustery conditions, with one of the days low scores -5 with no bogey's, 4 birdies including an eagle 3 at the 17th.
Playing the par 5 8th he laid up, hit his wedge to 33 feet and managed to bogey with 3 putts from there, missing a 4 footer for par.
Still, just his first of the day.
On the par 4 9th, he hit a duck hook just over 200 yards into the rough. He took a free drop, hacked it out, still in the rough. His 3rd from 190 yards, landed 75 feet from the pin. He took 3 putts from there to close with a double bogey 6.
He was at -7 T3 with 2 to play, the bogey, double bogey dropped him to T10 -4.
The other Canadian Adam Svensson has been steady, T17 71 70 72 -3
So heading into Sunday, Harman is at -12, Andrew Novak (69) -9, Tom Hoge (68) -8, Keith Mitchell (73) -7, Sam Valimaki (70) -6.
The field will be off split tees (1st, 10th) paired in three's due to the weather.
The weather may not reach 60*f , winds forecast up to 30+mph, SE, so it looks like Harman may have to come back to the field with scoring sure to be at a premium.
Bryan Angus
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