LA QUINTA, Calif. — Sepp Straka’s game was almost as clean as his head in three rounds at The American Express.
Straka shot an 8-under 64 on Saturday for his third consecutive bogey-free round, giving the newly bald Austrian a four-shot lead over Charley Hoffman, Jason Day and Justin Lower in the Coachella Valley desert.
Straka made six birdies on his front nine at La Quinta Country Club, perhaps the easiest circuit of the three where American Express is held. He added two more birdies, putting him at 23-under 193 and becoming only the third player not to finish 54 holes since the tournament was switched to three courses in 2016.
His fellow pros aren’t just talking about his sharp game, though: After breaking out of the top 20 last year, the 31-year-old Straka pulled out his razor and made a major offseason change that drew a lot of attention as he chased a third PGA Tour victory.
“I was about to lose my hair, I realized that I would get in front of them, so, I just (continued) to cut it,” he said with a smile.
Straka also shot a 64 on the course Friday after opening the tournament with a 65 on the Nicklaus Course. He still needed a sharp shot and a 10-foot putt to save his final hole on Saturday after missing the fairway with his drive.
Straka is the first Austrian-born player to earn a PGA Tour card and a win on the circuit, and he knows his work is far from done as he prepares for the final round back at the PGA West at the Stadium. He’s not too focused, though: He plans to spend Saturday night watching the Commanders-Lions NFL playoff game with friends.
“I think the field is a type of course where there is no safe lead,” he said. “My first win was at the (i) Honda (Classic), a very similar golf course, and I got five shots back earlier in the day. So there’s no safe lead. You’ve got to keep hitting your spots, and you’ve got to really hit the ball there, so— So what I’m really looking for tomorrow is a good round of hard hitting.”
Every player at the top of the leaderboard is chasing important victories. Day won the PGA Championship with just one win on tour since 2018, while the 48-year-old Hoffman is looking for another trophy in the tournament where he won the first of his five back in 2007. Lower is looking for his first road victory.
“It’s amazing,” Straka said. “It’s a really fun leaderboard to watch. I played with Charley last week (at the Sony Open). He said he feels good, so anytime his body feels good, he’s dangerous. Yeah, it’s a great leaderboard.”
Hoffman started the day with a share of the lead, and carded a bogey-free 69 on the Course despite early difficulty and the deceptively firm greens. Finally healthy and after struggling with his back, the San Diego native is looking for his first win since 2016.
“I didn’t get it right until the ninth, and then I was able to make a few putts,” Hoffman said. “Obviously, a clean sheet in the stadium is something to be proud of.”
The day’s round was full of action, with the former PGA Championship winner recording seven birdies and two bogeys while playing in front of a well-aired gallery watching his partner and two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas.
Day made his season opener practice in the Palm Springs area recently, and he feels comfortable in the California desert.
“It’s hard not to like this place,” said the veteran Australian. “You’re trying to find (reasons not to) get out here, but I actually look forward to getting out to the desert every winter. Right before the West Coast Swing starts, this is my place to come, just because the golf courses. well, the weather is obviously good, then it’s easy to go to other golf tournaments from here. It’s nice and quiet here, I like that so I can focus on golf, and I can do that outside.”
Thomas shot a sound 68. He was 17-under 199, a shot behind Patrick Cantlay and Mark Hubbard.
Lower, who started two days ago one shot off the lead, shot a 68 on the Stadium Course to stay in contention for his first victory. He reached 20 under with back-to-back birdies on Saturday, but also bogeyed the 14th and 17th holes.
Lower has five top-five finishes, including a second-place finish in Los Cabos, Mexico, last November.
Defending champion Nick Dunlap shot to 9-under 207, but 17-year-old Blades Brown shot a third-round 74 and missed the cut in his professional debut. Brown will try for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines on Monday.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who finished second last year and still got the winner’s purse because Dunlap couldn’t claim as a novice, was also skipped.
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