Casey takes lead at Travelers

NEW YORK: Britain’s Paul Casey fired an eight-under par 62, matching the lowest round of his career, to seize a four-stroke lead after Saturday’s third round of the US PGA Travelers Championship.

The 40-year-old Englishman, aided by some swing advice from coach Peter Kostis, seeks his third career US PGA title and second of the year after his bogey-free weekend start at TPC River Highland in Cromwell, Connecticut.

Casey hit all 18 greens in regulation for just the third time in his career to stand on 16-under 194 for 54 holes with American Russell Henley second on 198.Casey had complained of pulling the ball off the tee but a lesson with Kostis at the driving range saw him improve his posture and adjust his stance closer to the ball to produce the low round of the tournament.

Casey had back-to-back birdies at the second and third holes and two more in a row to close the front nine, a nine-footer at the par-3 eighth and a 20-footer at the ninth.After a tap-in birdie at the par-5 13th, Casey drove the green at 15 and made a 23-foot eagle putt to jump ahead by three strokes at 15-under.

At 18, Casey dropped his approach three feet from the cup and tapped in for birdie and a four-stroke edge.India’s Anirban Lahiri shared third on 199 after a third-round 65 with Americans JB Holmes and Brian Harman.Australia’s Jason Day shot 66 to stand in a pack on 200 with Americans Bubba Watson, Ryan Blaum, Beau Hossler and Bryson DeChambeau.