Rose continues strong play to hold 54-hole lead

FORT WORTH, Texas – Brooks Koepka knows something about comebacks.

In each of his two PGA TOUR victories, he was trailing at the start of the final round.

He was one back entering the final round at Erin Hills last year. In 2015, he earned his first PGA TOUR victory at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Koepka shot a final-round 66 at TPC Scottsdale to overtake Martin Laird, who started Sunday with a three-shot lead.

Koepka will have to do one better if he wants to earn his third PGA TOUR victory Sunday at the Fort Worth Invitational. Koepka and Emiliano Grillo are tied for second, four shots behind Justin Rose.

Rose has built his lead with impressive ball-striking around Hogan’s Alley. He’s missed just 11 greens and has made just three bogeys this week. He is at 14-under 196 (66-64-66). The four-shot lead matches the largest of his career. He won the previous two times he started the final round with a four-shot lead. Click here to read more about Rose’s play this week.

“It’s a big lead, but it isn’t big enough,” Rose said. “You have to continue making birdies and keep going forward.”

Grillo also was trailing in his lone PGA TOUR win, which came in his first start as a PGA TOUR member. He shot a final-round 69 at the 2015 Safeway Open to overcome a two-shot deficit to Brendan Steele.

This is just Koepka’s fourth start since sitting out nearly four months with a wrist injury. He finished 11th at THE PLAYERS Championship with a course-record-tying 63 in the final round. He shot a 63 in the second round here, then followed it up with a 67 on Saturday. Koepka was 3 over par for his first 13 holes this week, but has made 16 birdies, one bogey and one double-bogey in his last 41 holes.

He had five birdies and a double-bogey Saturday.

He doubled the par-5 11th hole for the second time this week after the head of his driver came loose on the tee shot and he hit his 3-iron second shot out of a divot and into the hazard right of the fairway.

He made three birdies on the last seven holes, including a 17-foot putt on the last hole, to earn a spot in the final group alongside Rose.

He’ll need to make a big comeback to earn his third PGA TOUR victory, but he’s done it before.

NOTABLES

Jon Rahm shot a 6-under 64 to jump into fourth place. He’ll start the final round six shots behind Rose. Rahm has shot par or better in all seven of his rounds at Colonial with a scoring average of 67.6 strokes. The 64 was his low round at Colonial by two shots, though. Click here for more on his round.

Jordan Spieth shot even-par 70 to fall to 38th place. His birdie on 18 was his fourth of the day, but he also made four bogeys. He’ll need a good round Sunday to avoid his worst finish at Colonial. He’s finished no worse than T14 in five previous starts at Colonial.

Rickie Fowler shot 1-under 69 and will start the final round in 21st place. He was 3 under par after 11 holes but played the final seven holes in 2 over.

SUPERLATIVES

Low round: Corey Conners and Ted Potter Jr. both shot 7-under 63s. Conners is in fourth place at 8 under par for the tournament. Potter is one shot back.

Longest drive: Bryson DeChambeau hit a 370-yarder on the 14th hole. It was the longest drive of the day by seven yards. He shot 71 and is T31.

Longest putt: J.T. Poston holed one from 62 feet, 1 inch in Saturday’s 65. He will start the final round in fourth place.

Hardest hole: The 247-yard, par-3 fourth hole, which falls in the middle of the trio of holes termed the “Horrible Horseshoe” played to a 3.26 scoring average.

Easiest hole: The 551-yard, par-5 first hole played as the easiest hole for the third consecutive day. It’s 4.35 scoring average was the lowest of the week.

CALL OF THE DAY

For play-by-play coverage of the final round of the Fort Worth Invitational, listen from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. ET at PGATOUR.com.

SHOT OF THE DAY