Jordan Spieth shoots a 61 to take lead at John Deere Classic

His 61, including six birdies and two eagles, was a career-best round. He punctuated things by finishing birdie-eagle-birdie.

Bogey-free, Lee also added to his round with a birdie at 17 to finish with the second best round of the day, and set up another pairing with Spieth.

Quote of the day: “For me right now it’s all about having face control at impact”.

Spieth reached the 13th hole and continued to show off his consistent play, piping his drive 300 yards down the fairway and then sticking his 102-yard approach shot within four feet of the hole.

“It was certainly a couple of grooves low (on the clubface) but that seems to be something that works out for me at this tournament”.

And while conditions on the Old Course aren’t likely to be anything close to what Spieth has seen this week at TPC Deere Run, including Saturday’s lift-clean-and-place-fest, there’s something to be said for good golf begetting more good golf.

Spieth’s approach on the par-4 eighth hole came so close to going in that it left a divot on the cup before spinning 10 feet forward. “I said that’s pretty cool, and he said (that) it doesn’t matter where you’re at. Just keep on trekking'”. Spieth now holds sole possession of the lead heading into Sunday’s final round, looking for his first victory since his historic U.S. Open win at Chambers Bay last month.

Lee, a playoff victor at The Greenbrier Classic last week, shot a career-low 62 Saturday. “We have made up for it, obviously, and still, the way this golf course is playing, I have to shoot well into the 60s to win this tournament tomorrow”.

Lee knows he is a heavy underdog.

As if Lee and Spieth hadn’t spent enough time together, the pair will board a charter flight after the final round carrying around 15 players across the Atlantic to prepare for Thursday’s British Open at St Andrews.

“All I know is there’s going to be a lot of people watching us, ” Lee said. “I don’t think the speed of the greens is that inconsistent; I just think it’s the slope within the greens”. “I can not wait”. Two birdies in his last three holes sealed a 5-under 65 for Walker and a share of third place with Matthew Nixon, Richard Finch and Seve Benson of England, Alejandro Canizares and Adrian Otaegui of Spain, and Sweden’s Johan Carlsson. It’s not a lock – seven other players are within four shots of him. The 12th-ranked Jimmy Walker made three double bogeys and a triple-bogey 8 in his front nine on his way to a 78, which left the American in last place.

Johnson, who grew up 95 miles from the Quad Cities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, won the John Deere Classic in 2012.

Zach Johnson (66), Daniel Summerhays (68) and Tom Gillis (69) are a stroke further back. “It’s a big day”. Spieth, however, saw a small opening in the trees ahead, which required a flawless shot from deep rough with a 5-iron. In doing so, he jarred his wrist and he said he felt twinges throughout his round. By the time he parred the next hole, there were six leaders tied for the lead.

He holed out with a sand wedge from 107 yards at the par-five 17th, before running in a 15-foot birdie at the last for a 10-under-par 61, his best round on the PGA Tour. The ninth-ranked American is two shots off the pace.