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Snedeker grabs lead at Canadian Open

Montreal - Brandt Snedeker drained a seven-foot eagle putt the final hole Saturday to cap a six-under par 66 that gave him a one-stroke lead in the PGA Tour's Canadian Open.

Snedeker's three-round total of nine-under par 207 put him one shot ahead of US Open champion Dustin Johnson and Canadian amateur Jared du Toit.

"It was a great way to finish, but I didn't expect to be ahead at the end of the day," Snedeker said after his effort at Glen Abbey outside of Toronto.

Snedeker needs some solid results to make the US team for the Ryder Cup in September.

"It's important that I make that team," he said. "I have to get my game in shape and this was a good start. I just have to pull on my experience tomorrow and play well again. There are a lot of guys right there and I will need to play another great round to win."

Du Toit, trying to become the first Canadian to win his national championship since Pat Fletcher in 1954, rolled in a 40-foot eagle putt at 18 to cap his 70.

"It feels good," said du Toit, who will be a senior at Arizona State University and is playing in his first PGA Tour event.

"I've never been here before, but I'm looking forward to it.

"This will be a new type of pressure at atmosphere for me, but I'm just trying to have fun and golf my ball," added du Toit, who will play in the last group on Sunday.

World number two Johnson was tied for the lead after each of the first two rounds but needed a 12-foot birdie putt at 18 to complete a one-under 71.

Steve Wheatcroft made a 43-foot eagle putt on 18 for a 64 that was the low round of the day. He was two strokes back on 209 and tied with Germany's Alex Cejka, whose 69 included an 84-foot birdie putt at the final hole.

Scotland's Martin Laird (68), Spain's Jon Rahm (72) and Americans Cameron Tringale (69), Matt Kuchar (70), Chad Campbell (70) and Ricky Barnes (71) were tied on 210.

World number one and defending champion Jason Day of Australia followed his second-round 76 with a 69 but remained seven off the pace in a tie for 28th.

He was joined on 214 by Luke List, who shared the lead with Johnson after each of the first two rounds but carded a third-round 77 that included a triple-bogey and two double-bogeys.

Leading third-round scores on Saturday at the PGA Tour's Canadian Open at the Glen Abbey Golf Club course near Toronto (USA unless stated, a-denotes amateur, par 72):

207 - Brandt Snedeker 68-73-66

208 - a-Jared du Toit (CAN) 67-71-70, Dustin Johnson 66-71-71

209 - Steve Wheatcroft 68-77-64, Alex Cejka (GER) 71-69-69

210 - Martin Laird (SCO) 73-69-68, Cameron Tringale 68-73-69, Matt Kuchar 69-71-70, Chad Campbell 73-67-70, Ricky Barnes 71-68-71, Jon Rahm (ESP) 67-71-72

211 - Derek Fathauer 74-72-65, Hudson Swafford 72-72-67, Brendon de Jonge (ZIM) 68-71-72

212 - Michael Thompson 72-74-66, Robert Streb 78-68-66, Jhonattan Vegas (VEN) 73-69-70, Jim Furyk 70-71-71, Ben Crane 69-70-73, Tyler Aldridge 69-70-73

213 - Kim Si-Woo (KOR) 69-77-67, Spencer Levin 72-70-71, Jimmy Walker 70-72-71, Jerry Kelly 72-70-71, Vijay Singh (FIJ) 72-69-72, Chez Reavie 69-71-73, Kelly Kraft 67-71-75

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