Tom Lewis takes third-round lead at Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance

NEWBURGH, Ind. — Tom Lewis carded his second consecutive 6-under 66 to claim the 54-hole lead at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance. The Englishman reached 16-under through three rounds to lead by two entering the final round at Victoria National Golf Club.

“We all feel pressure; it just depends on your own pressure,” said Lewis. “For me, I'm trying to have as much fun as I can and I had a good time today. The last few holes were stressful because I felt like I left a bit out there between holes 11 and 13, but I held on well and hit some good shots in. So I'm chuffed with the way I finished.”

Lewis ascended the leaderboard with a flawless front nine, recording birdies on four out of his first five holes before adding a fifth at the par-4 eighth to turn at 5-under 31. The 28-year-old tacked on birdies at the 10th and 16th, countered by a bogey at the 11th to finish at 16-under for the day.

“I played solid that front nine,” said Lewis. “I played really well this week, so it would be really nice tomorrow to go out and do the same sort of thing and be a bit more stress-free on that back nine because it's tough out there. You can tell the other players are nervous, you start getting nervous.”

Lewis is making his first start on the Korn Ferry Tour after spending the majority of his professional career on the European Tour. He has earned two wins in 187 starts in Europe and entered the week 85th in the Official World Golf Ranking. He also won Rookie of the Year on the European Tour in 2011.

In addition to his success across the pond, Lewis made waves in two different Open Championships over the past decade. In 2011, he shared the opening-round lead as an amateur after a 65 at Royal St. George’s Golf Club becoming the first amateur to lead a major since Mike Reid in the 1976 U.S. Open. In 2019, he finished T11, even with the likes of Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Francesco Molinari and Alex Noren.

“I played well at the beginning of the year,” said Lewis. “It's nice to play well in big events and playing well in The Open as well. I didn't make it through at [World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies] Match Play, but I enjoyed it, played solid there. I'm just happy to be here. I'm playing well and if I can continue that, then a win at the end of the year [this week] would be brilliant.”

Lanto Griffin sits two shots back at 14-under through three rounds. The Virginia Commonwealth University alum carded two eagles, four birdies and four bogeys for a 68, his third consecutive round in the 60s.

“When you're not hitting it well, eagles go a long way,” said Griffin. “I'm right there, just [need to] clean it up a little bit. I got a couple good breaks to shoot 4-under. Looking at the two bogeys on the last two [holes], I can't be too picky on those, kind of brush it off. [If] Those two eagle putts go don't go in, I par the last two, 4-under is still a great score. That's the way I'm going to look at it.”

Griffin entered the week with a different mindset than most in the field. The 31-year-old secured his return to the PGA TOUR through the Regular Season when he finished sixth in The 25. With his TOUR card already locked up, Griffin is playing for positioning on the combined points list.

Final-round tee times will run from 6:35 a.m. – 12:35 p.m. off of the first tee.