Moore Now in First at Travelers Championship


Ryan Moore fired a 4-under 66 to assume the lead in the Travelers Championship. The $6.2 million PGA Tour event is taking place at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.

After opening with rounds of 63 and 68, Moore, a native of Tacoma, Wash., stands at 13-under 197, a stroke ahead of Australia's Aaron Baddeley, who carded a 65 Saturday.

Moore had a tidy scorecard that listed two birdies and an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole. The 31-year-old was pleased with his economical outing. "Today was a great examples of 'it doesn't have to be pretty' to shoot a great golf score," said the three-time Tour winner, whose previous title came last October in the CIMB Classic.

"I honestly didn't feel great all day hitting the ball, but drove it well enough to kind of keep myself out of trouble."

He's confident entering Sunday's final round. "This is a tournament I really want to win and I know it's a tournament I can win," Moore told reporters.

Baddeley, a three-time Tour winner, has gone nearly three years since his most recent victory, the 2011 Northern Trust Open. On Saturday, the 33-year-old from Melbourne recorded six birdies and a bogey.

Though TPC River Highlands is a place where PGA Tour-caliber players can go low, Baddeley recognizes that it's important to also be cautious. "Around here you feel like you should birdie every hole. There are a lot of birdie holes out there," he said. "But you have to be patient."."

Scott Langley shot a 64 and 65 for the 36-hole lead. But on Saturday the 25-year-old Tour rookie from Barrington, Ill., had an even-par 70 to drop into a share of third with Spain's Sergio Garcia (65), South Korea's K.J. Choi (69) and Michael Putnam (69), like Moore a native of Tacoma.

Four strokes behind Moore are Americans Kevin Streelman (64), Nick Watney (65), Tim Wilkinson (67), Chad Campbell (67), Bud Cauley (68) and Jamie Lovemark (70), and Sweden's Carl Pettersson (66).

Defending champion Ken Duke had a 71 to reach 2-under 208. And the top-rated player in the field, two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, carded a 67 to get to 4-under 206.

Making his PGA Tour debut, former Stanford player Patrick Rodgers is also at 4-under following rounds of 66, 69 and 71.

For complete scoring details, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.