With a great deal of attention on Phil Mickelson and the final group, Brendon Todd became the golfer the field was chasing.
His third-round score of 61, a career-best, launched Todd to the 54-hole lead at the Travelers Championship.
It wasn’t flashy. Nor was it a roller coaster.
It was solid, emblematic of Todd’s consistent golf that he is currently playing.
“I’ve felt pretty good, especially as I’ve played weeks in a row,” Todd said to reporters after his round. “It seems like since the fall, whenever I get a two- or three-week stretch in a row, I tend to be playing better by the end of it.”
Brendon Todd has hit 41/42 fairways @TravelersChamp. 😯 pic.twitter.com/fsRusBgMaF
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 27, 2020
Since the PGA Tour’s restart, Todd missed two consecutive cuts. With this being the third week, Todd is kicking his game up another gear.
In his third round, he converted all 14 fairways. Over three days, Todd is 41-of-42 in fairways made. He ranks first in the field in strokes gained: tee-to-green, gaining a full 4.75 strokes on his competitors.
With firm conditions and keeping the ball in play, Todd is taking advantage.
“The guys can drive the ball down there and hit a lot of wedges, and both par-5s are reachable, and there’s a drivable par-4. There’s just a lot of scoring holes and the greens are good this year, so people can make a lot of putts,” Todd said.
Todd wasn’t the only golfer to shoot a low score. Dustin Johnson, the 2016 U.S. Open champion, also shot a 61, putting him two shots back of Todd. Entering this week, Johnson ranked 69th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: tee to green.
Today, he earned +5.13 strokes gained tee-to-green, a season-best.
Best round in 13 years on TOUR for @DJohnsonPGA. 👏 pic.twitter.com/yTcvA1s91Y
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 27, 2020
“I’m very happy with the way I played,” Johnson said to reporters. “Every hole, I felt like I was allowing myself to make birdie, and I feel like I’m rolling the putter well, so I just need to get myself in a position where I’ve got a chance to make a putt.”
Todd and Johnson are paired for the first time since the 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Both golfers know a low score is needed on Sunday to win this tournament.
It’s the first time in Travelers Championship history where multiple rounds of 61 or better were achieved on the same day. In the last two weeks on the PGA Tour, there were 21 rounds of 61 or better.
Todd is looking to replicate a similar performance tee-to-green in his final round. With a win, it will be the 34-year-old’s third victory on the TOUR this season.
“My job is going to be to go out there and get off to a good start and just try to make as many birdies as I can and see if I can shoot another good round,” Todd said. “I’m peaking in the third week and hopefully I can get it done tomorrow.”
