Valspar Championship 2016: Saturday Leaderboard Scores and Highlights

There was more movement at the 2016 Valspar Championship on Saturday, as Bill Haas vaulted into the lead thanks to a 67 that moved his 54-hole score to eight under par.  

Graham DeLaet continues his slow march up the leaderboard, finishing in second place with a three-round score of seven under. There's a two-way tie for third place, with Charley Hoffman and Ryan Moore locked at five under. 

Here's how the full leaderboard looks at Innisbrook Resort in Florida with 18 holes remaining:

Haas' climb up the leaderboard has been steady. He opened with an even-par 71, came out strong with a 67 on Friday and followed it up with another 67 on Saturday. 

The key for him has been hitting the greens early and letting his putter do the heavy lifting. He's hit 70.4 percent of greens in regulation to go along with 1.463 strokes gained-putting to carry the 54-hole lead. 

Of course, to secure a lead the way Haas has, a little luck away from the green is imperative. He was doing good work with the irons, as this chip shot on No. 15 shows, per PGA Tour:

This has been an erratic year for Haas, who has four top-10 finishes and two missed cuts in eight tournaments before Valspar. 

ESPN.com's Jason Sobel posited a theory why the always-consistent-but-never-great golfer isn't a bigger deal among golfing aficionados:

This course is certainly agreeing with him, though he will likely need to improve on his final-round scoring average (70.2) to hang on for a victory. 

The reason for that is because Saturday saw low scores abound, with DeLaet continuing to put that opening-round 72 far in his rearview mirror. The Canadian star battled his way through the front nine, hitting two birdies and two eagles to make the turn with an even-par 36. 

DeLaet got off to a slow start on the back nine, hitting four straight pars before doing this on No. 14 to set up an eagle putt:

That would be the momentum swing he needed, as he would follow up with a birdie on No. 16 to put his score at seven under for the day. 

Golf Channel's Justin Ray noted how valuable DeLaet's ability to go from the tee to green has been this weekend:

DeLaet's putting hasn't been terrible, though he's costing himself 0.35 strokes, but it will need to be more consistent Sunday if he wants to continue climbing up the leaderboard. 

Another player climbing up the leaderboard, though far out of contention for a victory, is Jordan Spieth. His 76 on Thursday has turned out to be a complete aberration, because the 22-year-old has made it into the red at two under following a 67 in the third round.

Even though the odds of Spieth making a comeback are long, Ray did note the historical implications it would have if he pulled it off:

The bigger picture for Spieth is what matters right now. He's trying to get his game right heading into Augusta in four weeks. He's been off in his previous two events, missing the cut at the Northern Trust Open and shooting back-to-back 73s in the final two rounds at last week's WGC-Cadillac Championships. 

Being able to rebound this week from a horrible start proves he is starting to find the groove that made him the PGA Tour Player of the Year in 2015. He's got one more round to keep things moving in a positive direction. 

The same can't be said for Friday's co-leaders—Steve Stricker and Will MacKenzie. The pair came into Saturday at five under but ended it way out of contention. Stricker shot a one-over 72, but MacKenzie couldn't catch a break with a three-over 74. 

MacKenzie was at least consistent with his mediocrity, shooting 37 on the front nine and back nine. His last birdie came on the sixth hole, as he finished the round with five bogeys and in a tie for ninth place. 

This has been an impossible tournament to predict, with a new leader after each round. That doesn't bode well for Haas, especially with DeLaet looming right behind him. 

Haas has made his money on the green this weekend, though he hasn't been bad in any area. That consistency makes him dangerous with 18 holes left. He hasn't won a PGA Tour event since January 2015, so his ability to handle the pressure will determine which way the flag blows Sunday. 

Post-Round Reaction

After the round, Haas spoke about why he has been unable to capitalize on the moment last year when he had the decisive point in the Presidents' Cup with a singles-match victory over Bae Sang-moon, via the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com):

"

Half of it is these guys are really good. I'm trying to beat some really good players and they're beating me right now. I just haven't been sharp. When the Presidents Cup was won, being in the last match and handling some pressure, that was a great stepping stone for me. Hopefully, it will lead to better things. But I've still got to play well tomorrow.

"

The pressure to play well shouldn't be a problem for Haas because he's been in these situations before, but it's impossible to know what goes on in a player's head before the moment hits. 

Stats per PGATour.com.