LIV Jeddah: Brooks Koepka shots bogey-free round to take three-stroke lead in Saudi Arabia | Golf News

Brooks Koepka strikes into lead at LIV Jeddah standing at 12-under, forward of Sergio Garcia of Spain and Charles Howell III; Garcia’s Fireballs and Koepka’s Smash are tied for second in group play

Brooks Koepka takes a three-stroke lead heading into the ultimate round of the LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah

Brooks Koepka shot a bogey-free 64 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead heading into the ultimate round of the LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

The defending champion loved 4 birdies in a row on holes three to six, a part of his eight on the round in the $25m common season-ending occasion at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.

He stands at 12 underneath forward of Sergio Garcia of Spain, who adopted Friday’s 68 with a 63, and Charles Howell III (64).

Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe fired a 62 behind seven birdies and an eagle to transfer right into a tie for fourth with Bryson DeChambeau (63), 4 strokes again of Koepka at eight underneath.

First-round chief Marc Leishman of Australia, who recorded a 65 to take the lead on Friday, responded with a five-over-par 70 and fell right into a tie for twenty first at three underneath par.

Garcia stated the climate and the course proved higher on Saturday than on Friday.

“It was a really nice round, obviously,” he stated. “The course conditions were a little bit more favourable than yesterday. Yesterday was much windier. It was a lot trickier. A couple of tougher pins yesterday, I guess.”

Garcia stated a key to the round was consecutive birdies on the ultimate two holes, a part of a powerful end.

“I finished with four birdies on my last five,” he stated. “Obviously there’s moments here and there, but I also made a couple really good up-and-downs on 11 and 12 to keep my round going, and then thanks to that, I birdied 13 and 14.

“I believe that I performed properly. I acquired so much out of my round, and I’m very pleased with that.”

In group play, Garcia’s Fireballs and Koepka’s Smash are tied for second at 19 underneath, three strokes behind DeChambeau’s Crushers.

Watch the Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas on Sky Sports Golf from 10pm on Saturday.