Davis Riley had the perfect pairing on moving day at the Valspar Championship and he responded with a career-low, nine-under par 62 that featured just 20 putts around the gettable Copperhead course.
Riley played with fellow Alabama alum Justin Thomas and the pairing drew the biggest galleries of the day, which Riley said “energized” him.
Riley, a 25-year-old Tour rookie, hit only five fairways and 11 greens but the putter was sizzling as he put on a putting clinic. His 62 got him to 18-under par, which is the tournament’s 72-hole record, set by Vijay Singh. He surged into the 54-hole lead and is two clear of overnight leader Matthew NeSmith.
NeSmith went 45 holes without a bogey until he hit the back nine on Saturday and four bogeys coming home brought in the reality and the difficulty of winning on the PGA Tour. NeSmith’s 69 must have felt like 79 compared to his Friday 61. NeSmith will be in the final pairing with Riley on Sunday. NeSmith starts to back of the leader at 16-under par.
The old 54-hole scoring mark was 14-under par set by Sam Burns last year and Burns is in the mix again going into the final 18. Burns shot 67 and is tied at 15-under with Thomas, who shot 66 playing with Riley.
Riley had some spectacular shots on day three.
He hit a spiffy chip-and-run from out of the rough and under a tree, and with a 70-foot bunker shot that clanged into the cup on the fly at No. 9. Those were two of his nine birdies on the day. d.
“It’s always fun when you get to play with a good buddy and Justin obviously is one of the best players in the world,” Riley said. “There was definitely a level of comfort there for that.”
The Credentials Stars In Pursuit:
The twosome that will attract the biggest crowds on Sunday is the next-to-last pairing — Thomas and Burns. Thomas has three straight 66s in the books, Burns shot 67 on Saturday and both are just three back of Riley. Neither has played their best golf thus far.
Adam Hadwin will start five back after a round of 70 that left him the only player at 13-under par.
Xanders Schauffele is one of five players who are seven back at 11-under par.
 Takes Over Lead At Valspar){kind=link}