Sepp Straka surges to 4-shot lead over Hoffman, Day, Lower through 3 rounds at The American Express

LA QUINTA, Calif. — Sepp Straka's game has been almost as clean as his head through three rounds at The American Express.

Straka shot an 8-under 64 on Saturday in his third straight bogey-free round, staking the newly bald Austrian to 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 on which The American Express is held. He 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.

His fellow pros aren't just talking about his sharp game, however: After cracking the tour's top 20 last year, the 31-year-old Straka got out his razor and made the big offseason change that's drawing plenty of attention as he chases his third PGA Tour victory.

''I was kind of losing my hair, so I figured I would get in front of it, so yeah, just (went) ahead and shaved it off,'' he said with a grin.

Straka also shot a 64 on the Stadium Course on Friday after beginning the tournament with a 65 on the Nicklaus Course. He still needed a slick wedge shot and a 10-foot putt to save par on his final hole Saturday after missing the fairway with his drive.

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. He's not overly stressed, however: He planned to spend Saturday night watching the Commanders-Lions NFL playoff game with friends.

''I think Stadium is the type of course where no lead is safe,'' he 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.''

Every player atop the leaderboard is chasing a significant victory. Day is a former PGA Championship winner with just one victory on the tour since 2018, while the 48-year-old Hoffman is seeking another trophy at the tournament where he earned the first of his five career wins way back in 2007. Lower is seeking his first tour victory.

''It's amazing,'' Straka said. ''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 despite early struggles with the deceptive firmness of the greens. Finally healthy again after struggles with his back, the San Diego native 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 putts coming in,'' Hoffman said. ''Obviously, a clean card on the Stadium Course is something to be proud of.''

Day's round was more eventful, with the former PGA Championship winner recording seven birdies and two bogeys while playing in front of a spirited gallery watching his pairing with two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas.

Day has made a habit of starting his season in the Palm Springs area lately, and he feels comfortable in the California desert.

''It's hard not to love this place,'' the Australian veteran said. ''You try and find (reasons not to) come out here, but I actually really look forward to coming out to the desert every single winter. Right before the West Coast Swing starts, this is my spot to come, just because the golf courses are fantastic, the weather's obviously perfect, and then it's just easy to get to the other golf tournaments from here. It's nice and quiet here, I like that. I'm here to focus on golf, and I get to do that out here.''

Thomas shot a tumultuous 68. He was at 17-under 199, a shot behind 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. He got to 20 under with back-to-back birdies down the stretch Saturday, but also bogeyed his 14th and 17th holes.

Lower has five career top-five finishes, including a runner-up finish in Los Cabos, Mexico, last November.

Defending champion Nick Dunlap made the cut at 9-under 207, but 17-year-old Blades Brown shot a third-round 74 and missed the cut in his first event as a professional. Brown will attempt to qualify for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines on Monday.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who finished runner-up last year and still got the winner's purse because Dunlap couldn't claim it as an amateur, also missed the cut.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/golf