Straka surges to 4-shot lead at The American Express

LA QUINTA, Calif. — Sepp Straka shot an 8-under 64 on Saturday while his top competitors failed to match his sizzling pace, staking the Austrian to a four-shot lead over Charley Hoffman, Jason Day and Justin Lower after three rounds at The American Express.

Straka made six birdies on his front nine at La Quinta Country Club, perhaps the easiest of the three circuits on which this venerable Coachella Valley tournament is held. He completed his third straight bogey-free round with two more birdies down the stretch, putting him at 23-under 193 and staking him to a significant lead heading into Sunday in search of his third PGA Tour victory.

Straka also shot a 64 on the Stadium Course on Friday after beginning the tournament with a 65 on the Nicklaus Course. He still needed a slick wedge shot and a 10-foot putt to save par on his final hole Saturday after missing the fairway with his drive.

Straka knows his work is far from done as he prepares for the final round back at PGA West on the Stadium Course.

“I think Stadium is the type of course where no lead is safe,” he said. “My first win I got at (the) Honda (Classic), it’s a very similar golf course, and there I was five shots back at the start of the day. So no lead is safe. You’ve just got to keep hitting your spots, and you’ve really got to strike the ball well out there, so that’s really what I’m looking for tomorrow is just a good solid ball-striking round.”

Every player atop the leaderboard is chasing a significant victory. Day is a former PGA Championship winner with just one victory on the tour since 2018, while the 48-year-old Hoffman is seeking another trophy at the tournament where he earned the first of his five career wins way back in 2007. Lower is seeking his first tour victory.

“It’s amazing,” Straka said. “It’s a very fun leaderboard to look at.”

Straka is the first Austrian-born player to earn a PGA Tour card and to win on the circuit. After cracking the tour’s top 20 last year, Straka made one big offseason change that’s drawing plenty of attention from his fans and fellow pros.

“I was kind of losing my hair, so I figured I would get in front of it, so yeah, just (went) ahead and shaved it off,” he said with a grin.

Hoffman began the day with a share of the lead, and he carded a bogey-free 69 on the Stadium Course despite early struggles with the deceptive firmness of the greens. Finally healthy again after struggles with his back, the San Diego native is seeking his first win since 2016.

“I didn’t get my head sort of around it until the back nine, and then I was able to make a couple putts coming in,” Hoffman said. “Obviously, a clean card on the Stadium Course is something to be proud of.”

Day’s round was more eventful, with the former PGA Championship winner recording seven birdies and two bogeys while playing in front of a spirited gallery watching his pairing with two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas.

Day has made a habit of starting his season in the Palm Springs area lately, and he feels comfortable in the California desert.

“It’s hard not to love this place,” the Australian veteran said. “You try and find (reasons not to) come out here, but I actually really look forward to coming out to the desert every single winter.”