Round 3, Valero Texas Open

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May. 17, 2009
By PGATOUR.COM staff

The first groups are ready to tee off in today's third round of the Valero Texas Open. Here's how it sets up:

Groups We're Watching

Tee time	Players
9:47 am ET No. 1		Anthony Kim, Corey Pavin Anthony Kim fought hard to make the cut with four birdies on the back nine to get into the weekend. Track 'em
12:40 pm ET No. 1		Jeff Maggert, Zach Johnson Defending champ Zach Johnson looks to make a move as he starts Round 3 seven back. Track 'em
2 pm ET No. 1		Paul Goydos, Justin Leonard Goydos will start out with a three-shot lead over three-time champion Justin Leonard. Track 'em

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR Network on-site correspondent Bob Stevens previews Saturday's third round:

Ted Purdy, who's in the traffic jam behind Paul Goydos at 9 under, surprised me with the story of his improved short game. He said that after making a ton of birdies at the Verizon Heritage, but also too many bogeys, he was in the Savannah airport leaving the Hilton Head tournament and, in desperation, picked up a copy of Phil Mickelson's new short game DVD. Since the Verizon Heritage, he worked out the kinks in New Orleans, then finished fifth at Quail Hollow, his best finish since a trio of top 5s back in 2006. Wonder what he was watching in his hotel room last night?

Saturday's forecast

Isolated T-Storms
Temp: 91 high/67 low
Isolated T-storms could strike on Saturday, with winds coming out of the southeast at 11 mph.

Beware the desperate golfer. J.P. Hayes is living a precarious golf life these days, counting on sponsor exemptions to get to play after disqualifying himself from q-School for playing a non-conforming ball. This month, in his home state, is his big chance to re-energize his career. He spent Monday playing in the pro-am, as a favor for getting a sponsor's exemption, then flew back to El Paso to get through local qualifying for the U.S. Open Tuesday, then flew back to San Antonio on Wednesday to prepare for the week. An opening 1-over 71 didn't help, but the best round of Friday, a fairly effortless 62, shot him right into the tournament. He's been granted exemptions the next two weeks as well, and maybe that small bit of security is allowing him to free wheel this week.

Here's a name to remember. Maybe not for this weekend, or next week, or next month, but by next year, you'll know the name Martin Piller. The Texas A&M grad is seventh in the Nationwide Tour standings as a rookie and also won the Texas State Open (which is different than this week's Valero Texas Open). He's not a bomber, but a shot-making, high-energy kid who brings life to the party. I saw him fist-pump his way to a birdie at the 17th hole to make it over the cut line, then make a great par save after hitting his second shot over the chalets that border the 18th green, the par-saving putt punctuated by a double fist-pump. He's confident, but not cocky, is having the time of his life, and midnight still hasn't struck for Cinderella. He'll play for a third straight day today with a sensible player who's also a PGA TOUR rookie this year, Matt Bettencourt, who finished atop the Nationwide Tour money list last year.

Stat of the day

This marks the sixth time in his career that Goydos has held at least a share of the 36-hole lead. Of the previous five, he was only capable of converting one into victory (2007 Sony Open in Hawaii).

NOTEWORTHY NUGGETS
• Through 36 holes, Paul Goydos has netted 14 birdies and given up just two bogeys. Even though he scored better in Round 1, his accuracy off the tee was significantly better in Round 2. In Round 1, he hit seven of 14 fairways, but improved to 11 of 14 in Round 2.

Gronberg

• Mathias Gronberg got off to a hot start by playing his first six holes (Nos. 10-15) in 4 under. Gronberg, who began the day at 4 under, holed out for an eagle-2 from 123 yards at the par-4 12th. He followed that with birdies at the par-5 14th and par-4 15th to get to 8 under. He would finish the day at 9 under, good enough for a share of the lead after the morning wave.

• Gronberg is competing in his fourth Valero Texas Open. In his first start here in 2005, he finished tied for 53rd. In 2007, he posted his PGA TOUR career best finish of a tie for third thanks to three consecutive rounds of 5-under 65. Last year, Gronberg missed the cut.

• Gronberg is making his fourth start of the year. He missed the cut at the Mayakoba Golf Classic and Zurich Classic of New Orleans and withdrew after the first round of the Honda Classic. He finished tied for 42nd at last week's Italian Open on the European Tour where he has claimed three victories.

• First-round co-leader, Justin Leonard, continued his steady play following a 2-under 68. He trails Goydos' lead by three. With his 2-under 68, Leonard posted his 36th round in the 60s of a total 44 rounds played in this event dating back to 1994. Of those 44 rounds, only once has he posted an over-par score (2-over 72, final-round, 2006).

• The round of the day clearly belonged to J.P. Hayes. Playing in his 11th Valero Texas Open, Hayes blistered the course with a bogey-free, 8-under 62, which included six birdies and an eagle-3 at the 14th hole. His best previous round here was a 4-under 66 in Round 3 in 2006.

Thus far at the Valero Texas Open

Round	Leader	Low round (par 70)	Key links
	Paul Goydos, Justin Leonard (-7)	63: Paul Goydos, Justin Leonard	Daily Wrap-Up \| Live Report Player Spotlight \| Notebook
	Paul Goydos (-12)	62: J.P. Hayes	Daily Wrap-Up \| Live Report Player spotlight \| Notebook

The Film Room

	PGA TOUR Today Win McMurry updates action from the second round of the Valero Texas Open and previews what to watch for in the third round. Watch it
	Shot of the day John Mallinger goes up and in at the par-5 14th for an eagle 3 and to tie the lead at the time in the second round of the 2009 Valero Texas Open. Watch it
	Second-round highlights Paul Goydos opens up a three-shot lead through 36 holes of the Valero Texas Open. Catch up on all that happened in Round 2. Watch it