The top of the leader board has not been kind to the contenders at the Valspar Championship.
First day leaders Keegan Bradley and Ken Duke disappeared.
The overnight leaders coming into Saturday’s third round at the Innisbrook Resort did not fare very well either.
Bill Haas took advantage of lesser play by Steve Stricker and Will MacKenzie and bolted to the top with a four-under par 67 that put him at eight-under par through 54-holes at the Copperhead course.
Haas will go into Sunday’s finale with a one-shot lead over bearded Canadian Graham DeLaet, who is looking for his first-ever PGA Tour win.
“I made some nice putts early,” said Haas, who has won six times on tour. “I got away with some loose shots on the back.”
After a three-putt at the par three 13th dropped him back to seven-under, Haas chipped in for birdie from the back of the par three 15th then parred his way in to hold the lead.
DeLaet followed his Friday 66 with a 68 and will play in the final pairing with Haas on Sunday.
Charley Hoffman and Ryan Moore will go into the final 18 three shots back.
Stricker was out of character with some missed short putts and that left him with 72 and is in a threesome at four-under par with Patrick Reed and first-round co-leader Charles Howell III.
MacKenzie, whose putter performed on Friday, found it unresponsive on Saturday. He missed some short putts early and that set the tone for a 74 that dropped him back to two-under par where Jordan Spieth finished after shooting 67.
