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Todd retains lead in PGA Tour's John Deere Classic

By AAP Newswire

Jul 9, 2023

Brendon Todd is targeting his first PGA Tour title in four years as he takes a one-stroke lead into the final round of the John Deere Classic in Illinois.

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Three-time tour winner Todd shot a five-under 66 in breezy conditions to reach 16-under 197 at TPC Deere Run on Saturday after scrambling a par on the 18th.

"Kept me bogey-free and kept me in the lead," Todd said. "You always want to be the guy being chased."

Todd eagled the par-5 second, holing a 25-footer, and birdied Nos. 13, 15 and 16. The 37-year-old former Georgia player won the 2014 Byron Nelson and added victories in consecutive starts in November 2019 in Bermuda and Mexico.

Fellow Americans Alex Smalley (62), Denny McCarthy (66) and Adam Schenk (67) were tied for second.

"It's just head down and make birdies," Todd said. "It's going to be hard to run away and hide here, but that's the goal.

"Anybody who is within three shots of the lead is looking to go as low as they can. So. there's certainly going to be no defence for me tomorrow. It's going to be the same stuff."

Peter Kuest (65) was 14 under, with second-round leader Cameron Young (71) another stroke back with first-round leader Jonas Blixt (65), Chris Kirk (66), J.T. Poston (65), Lucas Glover (66), Kevin Roy (68), Mark Hubbard (67) and William Mouw (68).

Australians Harrison Endycott (70, six under), Geoff Ogilvy (69, six under) and Aaron Baddeley (71, five under) survived th halfway cut but were well back.