When Ricky Barnes turned pro in 2003, he came to the PGA Tour with high expectations.
Thirteen years later he’s still looking for his first victory.
He’ll have a good chance to get it on Sunday as he holds a one-shot lead after 54 holes at the Valero Texas Open.
Barnes’ will start the final round a shot in front of overnight leader Brendan Steele, who birdied the last hole to get to even par and stay at 10-under par where he started the third round.
Barnes had seven birdies on the day and his lead could have been more if he hadn’t bogeyed the ninth and 18th holes. “I took advantage of my good shots,” he said. “Overall if you told me five-under today, I’d take it,” he said of his 67.
Steele’s 18th hole birdie got him in front of Luke Donald and Charley Hoffman, who are both at nine-under. Patrick Reed put himself in contention with a 70 that got him to eight under and two off the lead.
Sunday’s tee times will be moved up in anticipation of bad weather in the afternoon and the field will play in threesomes.
Barnes won’t have to wait as long as he normally would and his plan was simple. “Stick to the game plan,” he said. “You gotta hit fairways to make birdies out there.”
