Lee Hodges heads into Saturday's third round of the PGA Tour's 3M Open with a four-stroke lead after shooting an impressive seven-under-par 64 in Blaine, Minnesota on Friday. A two-hour rain delay meant that play was suspended at TPC Twin Cities due to darkness, with 11 players still on the course, but none of those still to finish their rounds were within 10 shots of the lead after Hodges birdied four of his final six holes.

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63-64 for Lee Hodges 🔥 
 
He leads by four after a dream start <a href="https://twitter.com/3MOpen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@3MOpen</a>. <a href="https://t.co/dzTSmK3uV8">pic.twitter.com/dzTSmK3uV8</a>
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) <a href="https://twitter.com/PGATOUR/status/1685113039207510016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Tyler Duncan is nearest to Hodges, on 11-under after his bogey-free 67, while Kevin Streelman, J.T. Poston, defending champion Tony Finau and Brandt Snedeker are all five shots behind Hodges.

Overnight leader Hodges was two-under for the day when play was suspended, and returned to drain a 25-foot birdie putt at the ninth hole to seize the solo lead. He then produced an immaculate back nine with back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14 and ended in style with a birdie on the par-3 17th and then the par-5 18th. Hodges, chasing a first US PGA Tour title, is 74th in the FedExCup standings, with the top 70 heading into the playoffs next month.

"I know where I'm at, but trying harder or changing what I'm doing's not going to make me play better or anything like that. I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing and see how it turns out," said the 28-year-old from Alabama.

"With my caddie...we've committed to every shot we've hit so far, which has been great. We'll continue to do it, because what do we have to lose?" he added.

Streelman and Poston shared the clubhouse lead at 10-under when the storm rolled through.

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Streelman had three birdies without a bogey after adjusting to the changed course conditions on Friday morning.

"I didn't make a ton of putts, but kind of did what I was supposed to," he said. "The greens were running beautifully today, much faster than yesterday. We all jammed our first putts pretty far past the hole so that took some on-course adjusting."

Poston carded his second straight 66, rolling in five birdies without a bogey.

Finau had to wait out the delay, but had four of his eight birdies on the back nine as he also carded a second straight 66.

Former world number one Justin Thomas, who added the event to his schedule as he battles to make the season-ending FedEx Cup playoffs, carded an even-par 71 that left him looking at a missed cut.

Thomas's six birdies included four in his last five holes, but he had two double bogeys, including finding the water twice at the par-five 18th, his ninth hole of the day.

That left him at 2-under, two short of the projected cut. 
 
&nbsp;

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Lee Hodges heads into Saturday's third round of the PGA Tour's 3M Open with a four-stroke lead after shooting an impressive seven-under-par 64 in Blaine, Minnesota on Friday.

Lee Hodges heads into Saturday's third round of the PGA Tour's 3M Open with a four-stroke lead after shooting an impressive seven-under-par 64 in Blaine, Minnesota on Friday. A two-hour rain delay meant that play was suspended at TPC Twin Cities due to darkness, with 11 players still on the course, but none of those still to finish their rounds were within 10 shots of the lead after Hodges birdied four of his final six holes. 63-64 for Lee Hodges 🔥 He leads by four after a dream start @3MOpen. pic.twitter.com/dzTSmK3uV8 — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 29, 2023 × Tyler Duncan is nearest to Hodges, on 11-under after his bogey-free 67, while Kevin Streelman, J.T. Poston, defending champion Tony Finau and Brandt Snedeker are all five shots behind Hodges. Overnight leader Hodges was two-under for the day when play was suspended, and returned to drain a 25-foot birdie putt at the ninth hole to seize the solo lead. He then produced an immaculate back nine with back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14 and ended in style with a birdie on the par-3 17th and then the par-5 18th. Hodges, chasing a first US PGA Tour title, is 74th in the FedExCup standings, with the top 70 heading into the playoffs next month. "I know where I'm at, but trying harder or changing what I'm doing's not going to make me play better or anything like that. I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing and see how it turns out," said the 28-year-old from Alabama. "With my caddie...we've committed to every shot we've hit so far, which has been great. We'll continue to do it, because what do we have to lose?" he added. Streelman and Poston shared the clubhouse lead at 10-under when the storm rolled through. ALSO READ: Juventus excluded from European competition next season over FFP breach - UEFA Streelman had three birdies without a bogey after adjusting to the changed course conditions on Friday morning. "I didn't make a ton of putts, but kind of did what I was supposed to," he said. "The greens were running beautifully today, much faster than yesterday. We all jammed our first putts pretty far past the hole so that took some on-course adjusting." Poston carded his second straight 66, rolling in five birdies without a bogey. Finau had to wait out the delay, but had four of his eight birdies on the back nine as he also carded a second straight 66. Former world number one Justin Thomas, who added the event to his schedule as he battles to make the season-ending FedEx Cup playoffs, carded an even-par 71 that left him looking at a missed cut. Thomas's six birdies included four in his last five holes, but he had two double bogeys, including finding the water twice at the par-five 18th, his ninth hole of the day. That left him at 2-under, two short of the projected cut. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Golf: Lee Hodges leads 3M Open after dazzling finish, Justin Thomas misses cut

Lee Hodges sizzled in sweltering conditions on Thursday, grabbing eight birdies in an eight-under par 63 to take a one-shot first-round lead at the US PGA Tour 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota. Hodges opened with three straight birdies at the 10th, 11th and 12th holes at TPC Twin Cities. He tapped in from inches away at the 10th then rolled in a 32-footer at 11.

He made another trio of birdies around the turn at 18, one and two, then put together back-to-back birdies at six and seven to break free of a group of four players sharing second on seven-under 64.

"Everything," Hodges said of what went well. "Really committed to every shot out there, hit a lot of really good ones."

Hodges, chasing a first US PGA Tour title, said poor starts had contributed to three missed cuts in his last four events, so his strong start was key.

"To see that wedge shot go to an inch on the first hole and then make that 40-footer on the second hole, I was like, "All right, here we go, might as well make a lot of birdies if we're going to make a couple."

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The quartet on seven-under included former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, who had seven birdies without a bogey.

Brandt Snedeker and Tyler Duncan also had seven birdies and no bogeys while Kevin Streelman joined the group with an eagle at the 18th, capping a round that also featured six birdies and one bogey.

"All in all it was very solid, didn't miss too many and made an awesome finish there, a great three-iron into 18 and then buried the putt," said Streelman after drilling a 16-footer.

Matsuyama played before the worst of the afternoon's gusty winds, but he needed some treatment for mild heat-related symptoms after his round.

"It got really hot out there on the back nine," the Japanese star said. "I'll relax this afternoon and hopefully get ready to play well again tomorrow."

Americans Justin Suh and Nick Hardy and Argentina's Emiliano Grillo were tied at six-under.

Hardy closed with an unlikely birdie at 18, where the rookie's drive went well right and finished up behind a tree.

"I had an angle to hit the shot, I just had to hook a nine-iron with no follow-through," said Hardy, who ended up bending his club on the shot that nevertheless left him an 11-foot birdie putt.

Defending champion Tony Finau was in another big group on five-under par 66. He teed off on 10 and was five-under through his first four holes thanks to three birdies and a 49-foot eagle at the 12th.

Struggling former world number one Justin Thomas, who added the tournament to his schedule as he tries to avoid missing the FedEx Cup playoffs for the first time since 2014, carded a two-under par 69.

"I played really well," said Thomas, who is also trying to secure a US Ryder Cup berth. "I think everybody that played this afternoon was pretty shocked with that wind. It was not only blowing hard, but it was blowing in different directions."

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Lee Hodges sizzled in sweltering conditions on Thursday, grabbing eight birdies in an eight-under par 63 to take a one-shot first-round lead at the US PGA Tour 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota.

Lee Hodges sizzled in sweltering conditions on Thursday, grabbing eight birdies in an eight-under par 63 to take a one-shot first-round lead at the US PGA Tour 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota. Hodges opened with three straight birdies at the 10th, 11th and 12th holes at TPC Twin Cities. He tapped in from inches away at the 10th then rolled in a 32-footer at 11. He made another trio of birdies around the turn at 18, one and two, then put together back-to-back birdies at six and seven to break free of a group of four players sharing second on seven-under 64. "Everything," Hodges said of what went well. "Really committed to every shot out there, hit a lot of really good ones." Hodges, chasing a first US PGA Tour title, said poor starts had contributed to three missed cuts in his last four events, so his strong start was key. "To see that wedge shot go to an inch on the first hole and then make that 40-footer on the second hole, I was like, "All right, here we go, might as well make a lot of birdies if we're going to make a couple." ALSO READ: USA coach Vlatko Andonovski admits team is yet to fire at Women's World Cup following Netherlands draw The quartet on seven-under included former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, who had seven birdies without a bogey. Brandt Snedeker and Tyler Duncan also had seven birdies and no bogeys while Kevin Streelman joined the group with an eagle at the 18th, capping a round that also featured six birdies and one bogey. "All in all it was very solid, didn't miss too many and made an awesome finish there, a great three-iron into 18 and then buried the putt," said Streelman after drilling a 16-footer. Matsuyama played before the worst of the afternoon's gusty winds, but he needed some treatment for mild heat-related symptoms after his round. "It got really hot out there on the back nine," the Japanese star said. "I'll relax this afternoon and hopefully get ready to play well again tomorrow." Americans Justin Suh and Nick Hardy and Argentina's Emiliano Grillo were tied at six-under. Hardy closed with an unlikely birdie at 18, where the rookie's drive went well right and finished up behind a tree. "I had an angle to hit the shot, I just had to hook a nine-iron with no follow-through," said Hardy, who ended up bending his club on the shot that nevertheless left him an 11-foot birdie putt. Defending champion Tony Finau was in another big group on five-under par 66. He teed off on 10 and was five-under through his first four holes thanks to three birdies and a 49-foot eagle at the 12th. Struggling former world number one Justin Thomas, who added the tournament to his schedule as he tries to avoid missing the FedEx Cup playoffs for the first time since 2014, carded a two-under par 69. "I played really well," said Thomas, who is also trying to secure a US Ryder Cup berth. "I think everybody that played this afternoon was pretty shocked with that wind. It was not only blowing hard, but it was blowing in different directions." WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Golf: Lee Hodges grabs first-round lead at PGA Tour 3M Open as he chases maiden US PGA Tour title

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Golf: Lee Hodges leads 3M Open after dazzling finish, Justin Thomas misses cut

Golf: Lee Hodges grabs first-round lead at PGA Tour 3M Open as he chases maiden US PGA Tour title