Brooks Koepka (16 under) leads Byron Nelson by 2 shots
— -- IRVING, Texas -- Brooks Koepka knew all those spectators lined several deep along the fairways and around the greens were there to cheer for one of his playing partners.
Many of them were lugging around some of the 8,000 Jordan Spieth bobbleheads given away Saturday at the Byron Nelson or using handheld fans with his picture. They also got to watch the third-round leader play.
Koepka overcame two early bogeys and the huge shadow of playing alongside Spieth in his home event, shooting a 5-under 65 and matching the Nelson's best 54-hole score at 16-under 194. He has a two-stroke lead over Spieth going into Sunday's final round, when they will be paired together again.
"Doesn't really bother me. I mean he's got a lot of support, which is cool to see," said Koepka, describing himself as a chilled athlete. "He has grown up here. ... He should."
Spieth played his first PGA Tour event at the Nelson as a 16-year-old amateur six years ago. He is now the world's No. 2-ranked player and his image is everywhere at TPC Four Seasons, including those treasured bobbleheads and on signage for AT&T, which sponsors him and this tournament.
Playing in the final threesome with Spieth and second-round leader Ben Crane, Koepka hit his first drive way left on the way to an opening bogey. There were birdies at Nos. 3 and 5, but Koepka followed with another bogey at No. 6, when he hit his first two shots into the rough.
But Koepka was bogey-free the rest of the day and took the lead with a 20-foot birdie at the difficult 405-yard 14th hole. Spieth drained a 23-foot putt there to salvage a bogey after hitting his drive into the water and having to punch a shot back into the fairway.
"Powerful. Fearless and powerful," Spieth said when asked to describe Koepka's game.
Matt Kuchar (65), Bud Cauley (68) and Sergio Garcia (68) were tied for third at 13 under.
Crane, who turned 40 in March, shot 72 and dropped to 10 under and in a tie for 11th.
Even though Koepka played well enough to take a two-stroke lead, he said he hit the ball terrible and that his round "wasn't anything to brag about at all" with the exception of the round-low 22 putts.
"It wasn't good today. It was kind of embarrassing," Koepka said. "We both kind of hung in there, battled it out and we made some good, good key 10-footers."
Spieth called it a stressful round.
"I just don't have confidence over the ball right now," he said. "It's very frustrating and actually pretty incredible to still be in this tournament."
Garcia was 15 under and had the outright lead after his fourth birdie of the round, and second in a row, when he made a 25-footer at No. 8. But the 36-year-old Spaniard, the 2004 Nelson champion, then three-putted from nearly 60 feet at the ninth hole before missing the fairway with his drive for another bogey at No. 10.
