After coming up just short of a breakthrough win earlier this season, Andrew Landry has another chance to earn his maiden victory at the Valero Texas Open.
Landry came within inches of winning the CareerBuilder Challenge in January, ultimately losing to Jon Rahm in a four-hole playoff. He struggled to find form in the wake of his close call, missing the cut in each of his four starts following his runner-up finish in Palm Springs.
But Landry took some time off to welcome his first child, Brooks, last month and he made it to the weekend in his first start back last week at the RBC Heritage, where he finished T-42. He made a move up the standings Saturday at TPC San Antonio with a bogey-free 67, and at 13 under shares the lead with Zach Johnson heading into the final round.
“I just did everything really good,” Landry told reporters. “I was staying patient and just trying to make a bunch of pars. This golf course can come up and bite you in a heartbeat, and I had a couple bad putts that I didn’t really make. I’m happy with it, it’s a good 5-under round. Gets me in the final group tomorrow and we’ll see what happens.”
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Landry started the day one shot off the pace and in the final group with Johnson and Ryan Moore, and at one point he took sole possession of the lead after birdies on three of his first six holes. Now he’ll have another chance in the day’s final tee time where he’s grouped with Johnson and Trey Mullinax, who sits one shot back after firing a course-record 62 in the third round.
For Landry, it’s another opportunity to break into the winner’s circle, and it’s one for which he feels prepared after coming so close three months ago.
“I mean, I don’t want to go too deep into it because I don’t want to sound cocky or anything, but I just believe in myself. There’s no other explanation for it,” Landry said. “You can totally get out here and play with Zach Johnson, Ryan Moore, two top players in the world, and you can go out there and fold under pressure or you can learn a lot.
“Zach’s always been a role model to me the way he plays golf, I feel like we have very similar games, and it’s just going to be fun tomorrow getting to play with him again.”
Source: Internet
