Thompson grabs lead in repeat bid at PGA's John Deere Classic

Defending champion Davis Thompson closed with back-to-back birdies to seize a one-stroke lead after Saturday's third round of the US PGA Tour John Deere Classic.

Thompson, trying to become the first back-to-back Deere winner since Steve Stricker took three from 2009-2011, fired a four-under par 67 to stand on 15-under 198 after 54 holes at windy TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.

"Felt good. I was hitting it where I was looking the majority of the day," Thompson said. "It was tricky. The wind made it tough.

"I was pretty pleased with how things were going. I just wasn't really scoring well on the front nine but then was able to finish strong. That was nice."

The 26-year-old American sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the 14th hole to grab a share of the lead, then kept it with a tap-in birdie putt at the par-five 17th after missing an eight-foot eagle putt.

At 18, Thompson landed his approach just outside 10 feet from the hole and rolled in the clutch putt to take the lead alone.

"It was nice to make that to get the sole lead," Thompson said. "Birdieing 17 and 18 is always great."

Sharing second on 199 were fellow Americans Max Homa, Brian Campbell and David Lipsky plus Argentina's Emiliano Grillo after all shot 68.

"It was so windy out there," Homa said. "I was stoked with where my head was at. I did everything I wanted. I could have gotten a little bit angsty and I didn't and that was the key to the round."

Thompson, seeking his second PGA title, is ranked 70th on the tour season points list, the final spot to qualify for next month's playoffs.

"Hopefully put a good one together tomorrow," Thompson said. "Just be patient and stick to my game plan."

World number 99 Homa, a six-time PGA Tour winner with only one top-25 finish this season, sank an eight-foot birdie putt at 17 to join the second-place pack.

Grillo sank a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-three 16th and another at 18 from just inside four feet to share second.

Campbell closed with back-to-back birdies, the last from 36 feet, to share second while Lipsky's four-foot birdie putt at 17 left him one adrift.

There were as many as 10 players sharing the lead at one stretch in the shootout.

Kevin Roy, a 35-year-old American seeking his first PGA title in his 50th tour start, opened with four birdies to seize the early lead but closed with four bogeys in the last eight holes to shoot 70 and stand four off the pace.

js/nf