Spieth beats Gillis in playoff, wins John Deere Classic

Jordan Spieth fired a 10-under 61 on Saturday to take a two-shot lead heading into the final round of the John Deere Classic. They’re paired for the final round (12:40 p.m.) and Lee will be a decided underdog, despite winning The Greenbrier Classic in a playoff last week and firing a third-round 62, which tied his career low.

“The way this golf course plays, it’s not an even-par round tomorrow”, Spieth said.

“Jordan just played magnificent today”.

There are no “rights” and “wrongs” when it comes to how a player should hone his game for a major, some preferring to be competitive the week before while others are more comfortable practising ahead of time at the championship venue.

“It would be really cool to grab a win back at a place that’s special to me, and to take down a guy that’s as hot as anybody in golf will be pretty fun as well (today)”, Spieth said. I feel like I have one from this year. “I have to shoot well into the 60s to win this tournament”.

Once again, Spieth showed his flair for the dramatic as he rallied from eight shots off the lead after round one to earn his fourth US PGA victory of the season and the fifth of his career. The American had a seven-foot putt at the last for a share of second, but pushed it wide.

Elsewhere, the American trio of Shawn Stefani, Justin Thomas and Johnson Wagner are three shots off the lead on -14 while fellow compatriots Zach Johnson, Daniel Summerhays and Tom Gillis are one shot further back.

SMITH IN FRONT: Jerry Smith matched a tournament record with an 8-under-par 64 to take a three-shot lead after the second round of the Encompass Championship in Glenview, Ill.

Watch the final round of the John Deere Classic live on Sunday from 6pm on Sky Sports 5.

Yang, who shared the lead after 54 holes past year, opened a four-stroke lead at the 13th before Lewis capitalized on a two-stroke swing at the 14th.

On “moving day”, all the action was outside the top two spots.

“His third-shot eagle at 17, that was ridiculous”, Lee said.

After he hooked his drive into the trees on No. 17, caddie Michael Greller tried to talk him into punching back out into the fairway.

“That putt that I made on 4, I think may have been the biggest stroke of the day”, Spieth said. He then stuck his approach with a sand wedge directly behind the cup, where it spun in to the disbelief of even Spieth – who said he “mishit it”.

“Once you see a couple (putts) go in, that turning point in the middle of the round yesterday, that gave me a lot of confidence”. Then Spieth happened. Now, Thomas will need to call on some more of the early-tournament magic that saw him climb to the lead. What we didn’t count on was a loud boom to send Johnson flying off the 16th hole.