Lowest round keeps California's Spaun in contention at Utah Championship


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LEHI — J.J. Spaun just wanted to put himself in contention by Sunday at the Utah Championship at Thanksgiving Point Golf Club.

He did that well enough — with Saturday’s low round, and the lowest of the Web.com Tour’s latest stop.

Spaun carded a 6-under-par 65 to finish just one shot back of leader Nicholas Lindheim going into Sunday’s final round in Lehi. The seven-spot move up the leaderboard ensures that Spaun will tee off in the final round when play resumes at 10 a.m. Sunday morning.

“I just kept the ball in front of me, and couldn’t let my misses be really bad,” he said. “I got fortunate a couple of times out of the rough. Some drives got away from me, trying to hit fairways and hit greens. I think pars out here today aren’t going to hurt you.”

Spaun stroked six birdies during his bogey-free round, including a clean sub-par finish on the 18th hole. The San Diego State grad bogeyed the final hole Friday, and getting that taste out of his mouth before dinner was one of Saturday’s goals.

“It’s great to end with a birdie,” said Spaun, who has four top-10 finishes this season. “I hit a good drive, had a nice lob wedge in, and was trying to be conservative on the second shot. That pin was pretty tucked in.”

Spaun’s approach shot dropped just inside the edge of the green, and he calmly sank a 15-foot putt for his sixth birdie of the day.

“That’s how my day was: hitting greens and keeping it simple,” he said.

Nicholas Lindheim watches his shot as he joins other golfers competing in day 3 of the Utah Championship in Lehi at Thanksgiving Point on Saturday, July 23, 2016. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
Nicholas Lindheim watches his shot as he joins other golfers competing in day 3 of the Utah Championship in Lehi at Thanksgiving Point on Saturday, July 23, 2016. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

After placing second following a playoff against fellow Utah competitor Ollie Schniederjans in Wichita, Kansas, Spaun has finished in the top-30 for three-straight weeks and appears to be peaking now. He’s currently ranked 15th on the Web.com Tour money list, and playing fiercely against players like the third-ranked Schniederjans, who can take over the top spot with a win in Lehi.

“It would be great to have a chance to win,” Spaun said. “I’m just trying to put myself in contention with nine holes to play.

“If you know you can win out here, you’re going to play well.”

Schniederjans shot 4-under 67 en route to a third-place spot on the leaderboard, followed by Andrew Putnam, the brother of 2010 Utah champion Michael Putnam, and Brian Richey — the former leader who was three strokes behind Lindheim.

“I was hitting it great, and made some good par putts today to keep the round going,” Schniederjans said. “Being bogey-free kept momentum going; I had to make some good par saves.”

Everyone is chasing Lindheim, who took his first lead at 12-under on the eighth hole. Entering the round tied for second, Lindheim laid up within a few feet of the hole to stroke a short birdie putt while playing partner Richey shot par.

Lindheim finished the front nine at 3-under 32, then added two birdies and a bogey for his 67.

Utah Championship (Web.com Tour)
Top 10

Nicholas Lindheim (-13)
J.J. Spaun (-12)
Ollie Schniederjans (-11)
Andrew Putnam (-10)
Brian Richey (-10)
Austin Cook (-9)
Jack Maguire (-7)
Peter Tomasulo (-7)
Chris Wilson (-6)
Zack Sucher (-6)
Sebastian Cappelen (-6)
Xander Schaufele (-6)

Richey evened the duel just two holes later, firing a birdie on No. 10 to set up Sunday’s finale. But birdies on 11 and 13 gave Lindheim the lead for good, as well as a one-shot lead on Spaun.

“He’s really impressive, very crafty and he knows what he is doing with his game,” Schneiderjans said of Spaun. “He’s very organized in the way he manages courses.

“Really, he has no weaknesses and knows what he is doing. He’s been good for a while. It’s very impressive.”

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