PGA Tour: Aggressive Lee Hodges five clear at 3M Open
- Doug Mattushek
- 30 July 2023
Lee Hodges' maiden PGA Tour title is in sight as he takes a five-stroke lead into the final round of the 3M Open on Sunday.
Lee Hodges is on the cusp in Minnesota...
The American signed for an entertaining six under 66 around TPC Twin Cities in Minneapolis on Saturday, enough to take him to 20 under for the tournament, five shots ahead of fellow countryman JT Polston.
Hodges endured a shaky front nine with two bogeys - his first of the week - and two birdies, but came back strongly on the back nine, rolling in putts from every corner of the dance floor.
"I have nothing to lose," a confident Hodges told
pgatour.com.
"I'm out here playing with house money. I have a job next year on the PGA TOUR, this is all great. This is just icing on the cake."
The last time Hodges was in contention for a PGA Tour title - the 2022 American Express - he took it easy and came up short. This time around, he's adopting a different approach.
"I went out last time thinking I could just make a bunch of pars," said Hodges, who finished T3 that Sunday.
"That was completely wrong. I'm going to have to keep making birdies."
Behind Hodges is Polston, who carded a third consecutive 66, while six-time PGA Tour winner Tony Finau is alone in third on 14 under.
The defending champion birdied four of his final eight holes to stay in contention and finds himself in familiar circumstances. Last year, he trailed by five shots early in the final round but rallied to win by three, posting 17 under.
"It was just nice to make a run on the back nine today just to give myself a chance," reflected Finau.
"If I'm eight back, that's a whole different feeling than five or six. I was just happy with the way I finished my round today and to creep up and just be a little closer to the lead."
