NEWS

Ryan Moore shoots third-round 66 to grab one-shot lead at Travelers

By Neill Ostrout
Published on
Ryan Moore shoots third-round 66 to grab one-shot lead at Travelers

CROMWELL, Conn. -- Ryan Moore had an eagle and two birdies in a bogey-free 4-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Aaron Baddeley in the Travelers Championship on Saturday.

Moore had a 13-under 197 total at TPC River Highlands after opening with rounds of 63 and 68. He won the CIMB Classic in Malaysia at the start of the season in October for his third U.S. PGA Tour title.

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"Today was a great examples of `It doesn't have to be pretty' to shoot a great golf score," Moore said. "I honestly didn't feel great all day hitting the ball, but drove it well enough to kind of keep myself out of trouble."

Moore eagled the par-5 sixth, holing a 37-foot putt from just off the green, to take the lead early in the afternoon. He has made one eagle in each of his three rounds this week.

Moore chipped in for a birdie on No. 11 to move to 12 under and break a four-way tie for the lead. He has finished in the top 10 four times in eight starts at the Travelers.

"This is a tournament I really want to win and I know it's a tournament I can win," Moore said.

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Baddeley had six birdies and a bogey in a 65.

"Around here you feel like you should birdie every hole. There are a lot of birdie holes out there," said Baddeley, the Australian who won the last of his three tour titles in 2011. "But you have to be patient."

Sergio Garcia, K.J. Choi, Scott Langley and Michael Putnam were tied for third at 11 under. Garcia had a 65, Choi shot 69, Langley 70 and Putnam 69.

Garcia has five top-10 finishes in nine tour starts this season, and won the European Tour's Qatar Masters in January.

"It's been a solid season so far," Garcia said. "There's no question I'd like to have played better at the Masters and last week (at the U.S. Open)."

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Masters champion Bubba Watson was nine strokes back after a 67. He won in 2010 at River Highlands.

Defending champion Ken Duke was 2 under after a 71.