Watson drops into 3-way tie at Travelers

CROMWELL, Conn. — Bubba Watson made three bogeys in his last six holes Saturday to help create a three-way tie after three rounds at the Travelers Championship.

Watson, Graham DeLaet, who tied for the low round of the day with a 65, and Charley Hoffman were all at 10-under par heading into Sunday’s final round at the TPC of River Highlands. Watson shot an even-par 70.

Justin Rose, less than a week after his U.S. Open victory, is 7-under par and in a tie for seventh place after a second straight 68.

Watson made three birdies on his opening nine holes and was ahead by four shots after the third. But bogeys on Nos. 13, 15 and 17 brought the 2011 Masters champion back to the field.

Watson, who won the 2010 Travelers, is trying to become the seventh player to win this event at least twice. Arnold Palmer and Phil Mickelson have also done it.

After shooting a 61 in the opening round, former UNLV golfer Hoffman struggled and shot 73 on Friday. But he bounced back with a 66 Saturday in a round that included five birdies.

Hoffman, who has won twice previously on the PGA Tour, was leading the Travelers last year when he hit his tee shot on the par-4 17th into the water. He finished in a tie for second.

He said he doesn’t expect a similar result this year.

“Obviously, if I get on 17 tee, I’d be lying to say I’m not going to think about that tee shot,” Hoffman said. “But I’m a much more mature, better player than I was a year ago and don’t feel uncomfortable on that tee shot.”

DeLaet is playing this week in New England but many of his thoughts are about his native Canada. The heavy rain and flooding in Alberta forced the PGA Tour Canada to cancel its event this week.

DeLaet, the 2009 Canadian Tour player of the year, has pledged to donate $1,000 for every birdie he makes this weekend and $2,500 for every eagle to help the relief effort.

“It’s a pretty small part, what we’re doing, but anything helps,” DeLaet said. “There’s a lot of help from everyone all across Canada.”

DeLaet first made it to 10-under after beginning his back nine with four straight birdies. A bogey at the difficult par-3 16th put a slight damper on his round, but DeLaet finished strong by delicately rolling in a downhill putt from the fringe on the 18th hole to get into the clubhouse at 10-under.

“I did play well pretty much all day. I had a lot of good birdie chances on the front nine, just couldn’t really seem to find the hole,” DeLaet said. “Julien (Trudeau), my caddie, just told me to stay patient.”