Adam Schenk holds a one-shot lead over Jordan Spieth and Tommy Fleetwood at the Valspar Championship ahead of the final round | Golf News

Jordan Spieth carded a 69 to sit within a shot of the header at seven under; the three-time major winner opened with an eagle and led up to two strokes on his round, but only parred three times over his last 12 holes

Adam Schenk held on to his championship lead from Valspar on Saturday, even though Tommy Fleetwood and Jordan Spieth came within a stroke of him heading into the final round.

Schenk hit his approach on the 18 from within five feet and sank the resulting birdie putt for a 70-under round, snatching a one-shot advantage at the end of a wild and windy round.

“We didn’t have a ton until the very end,” Schenk said.

Neither did Fleetwood, who opened his inning with a birdie but followed with 12 straight pars. He ended up with a bogey-free 69 to sit at seven under and with a share of second place in the standings with Spieth.

It was he who dictated the action on Saturday. The American also scored a 69, but squandered numerous chances to break away from the field.

Spieth opened with an eagle and led up to two shots on his round. But he’s only made three pars in his last 12 holes – on four of those occasions he’s called a bogey with a birdie.

But it ended on the 18th when he hit a tree during his practice, entered a forward bunker, then was blasted by the collar pin for a final bogey.

“I didn’t have my best parts in the approach game, but overall I’m in a good position for tomorrow,” Spieth said.

“I made a few too many mistakes, but overall under these conditions I think I would have signed for two pennies.”

The weather was as wild as its round, gusting to 20mph and moving in an entirely different direction as the last groups were on the back nine.

The rain that was expected never came, although Innisbrook expected overnight showers that could boost the score.

Schenk, sitting at eight under, will play in the final group with Spieth, whose game appears to be in shape with the Masters on the horizon.

Eight players are within three strokes of the leader. Webb Simpson had a 68 that included a bogey at the par-five 14th when he hit in the water as he tried to lie down.

He was two strokes behind, with Taylor Moore (69) and Cody Gribble (70). Patton Kizzire had a 67 and is five under, with Wyndham Clark and England’s Matt Wallace.

Wallace’s compatriot Fleetwood was the most stable of the group. He birdied the opening hole par five and the 14th par five, and had a collection of big par putts to keep some momentum going.

“I kept plugging in,” Fleetwood said. “The pars were good. The birdies were hard to come by.

“I never backed down. I was very happy with anything that was equal or better.”