American Express: Sepp Straka moves into four-shot lead heading into final round of tournament

Sepp Straka moved into a four-stroke lead heading into the final round of The American Express tournament in California.

Straka shot an eight-under 64 on Saturday in his third straight bogey-free round, staking a four-shot lead over Charley Hoffman, Jason Day and Justin Lower in the Coachella Valley desert.

Straka made six birdies on his front nine at La Quinta Country Club, perhaps the easiest of the three circuits, and added two more birdies down the stretch, putting him at 23-under 193 and making him only the third player to stay bogey-free through 54 holes since this tournament went to a three-course rotation in 2016.

Straka is the first Austrian-born player to earn a PGA Tour card and to win on the circuit, and he knows his work is far from done as he prepares for the final round back at PGA West on the Stadium Course.

“I think Stadium is the type of course where no lead is safe,” Straka said.

“My first win I got at [the] Honda [Classic], it’s a very similar golf course, and there I was five shots back at the start of the day. So no lead is safe. You’ve just got to keep hitting your spots, and you’ve really got to strike the ball well out there, so that’s really what I’m looking for tomorrow is just a good solid ball-striking round.

“It’s a very fun leaderboard to look at. I played with Charley last week [at the Sony Open].

“He said he’s feeling good, so anytime his body is feeling good, he’s kind of dangerous. Yeah, it’s a great leaderboard.”

Hoffman began the day with a share of the lead, and he carded a bogey-free 69 on the Stadium Course and is seeking his first win since 2016.

“I didn’t get my head sort of around it until the back nine, and then I was able to make a couple of putts coming in,” Hoffman said. “Obviously, a clean card on the Stadium Course is something to be proud of.”

Former PGA Championship winner Day recorded seven birdies and two bogeys while playing in front of a spirited gallery watching his pairing with two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas.

Thomas shot a tumultuous 68. He was at 17-under 199, a shot behind American duo Patrick Cantlay and Mark Hubbard.

Lower, who began the past two days one shot off the lead, shot a 68 on the Stadium Course to stay in the thick of contention for his first victory.

Defending champion Nick Dunlap made the cut at nine-under 207, whilst 17-year-old Blades Brown shot a third-round 74 and missed the cut in his first event as a professional.

Watch the final round of the American Express, live on Sky Sports Golf from 4.45pm on Sunday or stream with NOW.