Tiger Woods, Justin Rose one off lead at Valspar Championship
Written by News on 11/03/2018
Tiger Woods fired a four-under 67 to get within one shot of the lead heading into the final round of the Valspar Championship.
The former world No 1, playing just his fourth PGA Tour event since a fourth back surgery, mixed five birdies with a sole blemish in another impressive display on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook.
Woods sits in a three-way tie for second on eight under alongside Justin Rose and Brandt Snedeker, as PGA Tour rookie Corey Conners posted a three-under 68 to stay top of the leaderboard.
Conners opened with a two-putt birdie at the par-five first and followed a seven-foot gain at the third with a 25-footer at the next to move three ahead.
Back-to-back bogeys from the sixth cut Conners’ advantage to one, as Woods posted gains at the third and seventh and pitched in from the rough at the ninth to reach the turn in a share of the lead.
Snedeker posted a front-nine 33 to make it a three-way tie at the top, only for Conners to tap in at the ninth and Woods to drain a 20-foot birdie at the 10th to move the pair to eight under.
Woods failed to convert from seven feet at the 11th to miss out on a third straight birdie, as Conners picked up a shot on the same par-five and holed from 20 feet at the next to restore his two-shot cushion.
The 14-time major champion bounced back from a blemish at the short 13th by making a two-putt birdie at the 14th, while Rose holed out for eagle at the 10th and added gains at the 12th and 15th to also get to eight under.
Snedeker tapped in for birdie at the 14th and added another two holes later to join the group two off the pace, with that deficit halved when Conners missed from seven feet to save par at the 16th.
Woods safely negotiated the Snake Pit in level par to ensure he would be part of the penultimate group on Sunday, as Conners made par at the 17th and nudged in from close range at the last to stay in top spot.
Patrick Reed and Sam Burns sit three shots back on six under after matching 67s, with defending champion Adam Hadwin eight strokes off the lead after a level-par 71.
Watch the final round of the Valspar Championship live on Sunday from 5pm on Sky Sports Golf and 6.30pm on Sky Sports Main Event.
(c) Sky News 2018: Tiger Woods, Justin Rose one off lead at Valspar Championship
