Lee Hodges vows to stay aggressive with big 3M Open lead

BLAINE, Minn. – Lee Hodges knows what he did wrong.

Moments after he fired a third-round 66 to take a five-shot lead at the 3M Open, Hodges’ reflected on the only other time he’s found himself in this position.

“I went out last time thinking I could just make a bunch of pars,” he said. “That was completely wrong.”

Indeed, Hodges’ only other 54-hole lead came at the 2022 American Express. He shot a final-round 70. Hudson Swafford shot 64 to win by two shots.

The lead may be much larger this week at TPC Twin Cities – he only co-led the American Express – but Hodges knows a conservative mindset will yield the same result.

He will be chased by a group of proven TOUR winners, a title he has yet to earn. Playing alongside him in the final group is his close friend J.T. Poston, who is 16 under and four shots back. If Hodges’ theory needs any more proof, he can look just one group ahead of him on Sunday afternoon and see Tony Finau, who is six shots behind. A year ago, Finau came back from a five-shot deficit to win the 3M Open after 54-hole leader Scott Piercy played Nos. 8-14 in 6 over.

It led to a matter-of-fact conclusion.

“I'm going to have to keep making birdies,” said Hodges.

He’s doing a great job of that thus far. His 22 birdies are three more than anyone else in the field. And after a shaky front nine that included two birdies and two bogeys, Hodges rattled off five birdies and no bogeys to get to 20 under. That’s already lower than the tournament’s last three winning scores and within one of the tournament-record 21 under.

It won’t be easy, no matter how big the lead grows. Hodges couldn’t recall having a lead this big at any point in his golf career. It’s happened once on TOUR this season when Collin Morikawa lost a six-shot lead to Jon Rahm on the final day of the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Largest 54-hole leads on the PGA TOUR this season

Even for those that converted, it was tenuous.

“My last win (at) the John Deere (Classic) I slept on the lead a few days in a row. It's an uncomfortable feeling,” said Poston.

But any pressure that Hodges might feel ahead of his 12:35 p.m. Sunday tee time had yet to hit the 28-year-old on Saturday evening.

“I have nothing to lose,” Hodges said, who finished 76th in last year's FedExCup as a rookie. “I'm out here playing with house money. I have a job next year on the PGA TOUR, this is all great. This is just icing on the cake.”

That isn’t true just yet. Hodges is 74th in the FedExCup standings, but a high-finish Sunday, regardless of whether it’s a win, will likely move him inside the top 70 threshold needed to qualify for the Playoffs.

Yet, as Hodges spoke, it might as well have been fact. There was no hopefulness in his voice. His confident and calm demeanor stood out for a professional still seeking his first TOUR win. It was as if he had won countless times before.

“It's just golf at the end of the day,” he said. “I'm lucky to be here.”

His playing competitors hope there will be a few cracks in his Hodges’ armor that will let them back in the golf tournament. Most in Hodges’ position say they don’t have nerves, but as play begins on Sunday afternoon, it begins to show.

Maybe that will be the case for Hodges. But he won’t lose the way he did before. The aggressive play has gotten him this far. Expect more of it Sunday.

“There’s going to be a low round up there tomorrow,” he said. “Hopefully it’s me.”