Aggression, scrambling key for Spieth

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  • May 29, 2016

Jordan Spieth is eager to up the ante in terms of aggression on the fairways, when the final round of the DEAN & DELUCA Invitational gets underway on Sunday.

World number two Spieth, odds on to win the tournament and defend his US Open title in a few weeks' time, carded a 65 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead. The two-time major winner, who is looking for his first win in his home state of Texas, is one clear of Webb Simpson and Ryan Palmer, with Harris English (63), Kyle Reifers (67) and Martin Piller (68) a further stroke back.

"I'm very pleased with the round. I struck the ball well, got off to a good start again and then my short game really kept me in it in the middle of the round," he said.

"My scrambling was kind of the key to the day today. Hopefully I'll hit some more fairways tomorrow and make those aggressive swings that I took advantage of when I did hit the fairways."

A win for Spieth on home soil would certainly go some way to erasing the memories of his Masters collapse.

Palmer (66) and Simpson (67) are best placed to ensure that doesn't happen. Palmer started strongly with birdies on the opening two holes, but then proceeded to make back-to-back bogeys and four and five. They would be the last blemishes of the day for Palmer who add a further four birdies to his card.

Simpson has been there or there about throughout, and the former U.S. Open winner is primed to make a bid for his first PGA Tour title since October 2013. The 30-year-old's round of 67 included six birdies and three bogeys.

"I made a couple mistakes throughout the round, but overall played pretty good. I hated to finish with a bogey, but I felt like I hit a good putt and just misread it a little. I still got a chance. So go work on it a little bit and see what I can do tomorrow," said Simpson.

Palmer added: "I was so sick and disappointed with the putt I hit on 18/ I wanted to be with Jordan in the final group on my home course in front of my family and friends and in front of the members of Colonial and it worked out, so I'm very excited."

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