JJ Spaun leads with US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley two back at the Sony Open

HONOLULU — JJ Spaun was up-and-down for a birdie on the par-5 18th hole Saturday for a 5-under 65, the final birdie giving him the lead at the Sony Open in the final round where more than a dozen players remain in the mix .

Spaun mixed bogeys with birdies on the final four holes at windy Waialae, and dropped shots cost him and Patrick Fishburn a chance to create some separation.

Instead, it’s the same old scene along the shores east of Waikiki Beach. This old-school course with its scrub and deep bunkers and unpredictable Bermuda rough has a way of staying in the pack until the very end.

Stephen Jaeger, the German best known as the only player to beat Scottie Scheffler at the Houston Open during Scheffler’s most dominant stretch last year, had nine birdies in a 62 and wasn’t sure where that would leave him when he finished.

He was one shot behind, along with Fishburne (68) and Eric Cole (67).

Jaeger was six shots behind in the third round. He also had 40 players between him and the two players atop the leaderboard.

“You’re in limbo at that point,” Jaeger said. “Either you’re going to have a great round and have a chance or … it’s nice to shoot a great round and be in contention.”

Fishburn, in his Sony debut as a sophomore from Utah, was the only player to reach 14 with his birdie on the par-5 ninth to go out in 31 and create some separation. But he made just one birdie the rest of the way, racing 360 yards with the wind at his back and hitting a wedge that rolled over the glass. He also made three bogeys, and failed to make the par 5 to close out the hole.

Spaun was 13 under at 197.

“I felt quite calm and relaxed there. It’s been a fun week here in Hawaii,” he said. “It’s always relaxed and laid back. I carried that mindset on the course, and it’s easy to feel that way when things are going your way and you’re playing well. Just try to perfect it tomorrow and see what happens.”

Fishburn dropped a few shots and brought many back into the tournament.

Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley birdied his final two holes for a 64 and was in a group two shots behind Canada’s Nick Taylor (65), former Open champion Brian Harman (66) and Nico Echavarria of Chile, winner of Zozo Championship to Japan last fall who played bogey-free into the wind for a 66.

“As soon as we turned there, the conditions got pretty tough,” Fishburn said. “A lot of the wind was strong to the left with the pins on the left side, so it was a tricky setup.”

The group three times behind were Lucas Glover and Gary Woodland, who came back from brain surgery at the Sony Open a year ago and lasted later in the year before using breathing exercises and meditation to get his brain working properly.

Woodland, who had a second straight 66, has played Waialae enough to know it’s usually stacked — Justin Thomas was the exception in 2017 when he shot a PGA Tour record 253 — and that a winner can come out of nowhere.

“If you can warm up, you can run,” Woodland said. “It wouldn’t shock me if someone came from behind and announced the number. Everything is going in the right direction. A few guys posted good numbers. I hope that’s me tomorrow.”

Jaeger stood out with the low round of the tournament. He made a pair of 20-foot birdies on the front nine — he started on No. 10 — and got a big boost with a birdie from just under 60 feet on the eighth hole. He finished with a wedge to 4 feet for birdie on the par-5 ninth.

“I was playing pretty aggressive off the tee, a lot of drivers. If I can get them into the fairways, I’m going to have a lot of shorter shots,” Jaeger said. “If you miss the fairway, you’re going to have to be creative to get those balls on the green and get good birdies. Nothing will change. The game is good, so I’m excited for tomorrow.”