Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox has a shot at his maiden PGA Tour title after jumping up the leaderboard in the penultimate round at the Houston Open today.

Fox will play in the final group alongside Australian Min Woo Lee and Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti as all three eye a breakthrough title on American soil.

Lee birdied seven of the first 14 holes in firing a seven-under-par 63 to seize a four-stroke lead at 17-under.

Fox sits five back after a five-under 65 for the second straight day, putting him in a share of third place.

Fox started bogey-bogey and the opening two holes but recovered with two straight birdies, including a chip-in at the fourth, before coming home hot with a 30 on the back nine courtesy of five birdies.

“Played the back nine about as good as I can play, to be honest. Didn’t really miss a shot. I’m pretty happy,” Fox said.

But he said the turning point of his round was giving himself a talking-to after a poor start.

“I was a bit angry after starting bogey-bogey. I hit a bad drive on three as well, and then gave myself a little talking-to and said, ‘Hey, there’s plenty of birdie chances out here, let’s just hit a good shot in here and see what happens’. I hit in it there close, made birdie and kind of calmed myself down. Turned at even par and got hot on the back nine. I was proud of myself for staying patient and giving myself chances on that back nine.”

The Kiwi needs a victory to book a spot in next month’s Masters, the opening major of the season.

“I can’t control what he does,” Fox said with regard to beginning the final round five shots back from leader Lee.

“I’ll just go out tomorrow, put some good swings on, and hope to put some pressure on him and be up there come the last few holes tomorrow afternoon.”

Lee finished one off the Memorial Park course record to stand on 17-under 193, a 54-hole tournament record.

“Just some solid golf,” Lee said. “Been playing really good the last few days. Just keep my head down.”

Tosti shot 65 to grab second on 197 with top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, fellow American Ryan Gerard and Fox on 198.

“I’ve learned from past experiences, and obviously playing with Scottie the past few years in the final group in a couple [of] tournaments,” Lee said.

Lee, with his first 54-hole lead in a PGA event, seeks his first PGA title after three wins on the European Tour.

“Hopefully tomorrow is another good day,” Lee said. “[I need to play] similar golf [to win]. Just got to play pretty steady off the tee. [I had a] couple of shaky drives at the end, but kind of regrouped and made it happen. Just keeping my head down and one shot at a time.”

While Lee, Fox, Tosti and Gerard each seek a breakthrough first PGA triumph, Scheffler won nine titles worldwide last year, including his second Masters and Paris Olympic gold, and matched the course record with a 62 on Friday.

Scheffler was bogey-free for the week until he followed a birdie at the par-5 third with a bogey after missing the green with his approach at the fourth.

Scheffler birdied the par-5 eighth and answered a bogey at 13 with a birdie at the par-5 16th, but the 36-hole leader only managed a 69.

“Yesterday I holed a bunch of putts. Today, I feel like I couldn’t get the ball to go in the hole,” Scheffler said. “Feel like I hit a lot of good putts.”

“There’s not really much you can do [differently] out there. Try to shoot as low as possible today, and I’m going to try to do the same thing tomorrow.”

Lee sank a six-foot birdie putt at the par-5 third and chipped in for a birdie from 34 feet at the par-4 sixth to grab the lead at 12-under.

Lee dropped his approach inches from the hole at the par-5 eighth and par-3 ninth to set up tap-in birdies on both holes, and sank a birdie putt from just inside 12 feet at the 10th for his third consecutive birdie to reach 15-under and stretch his lead to three strokes.

World number 55 Lee birdied the par-4 12th after landing his approach inside five feet, and when Scheffler made bogey at the 13th, the Aussie had a five-stroke edge.

Lee sank his seventh birdie in 14 holes, a seven-footer at 14, and parred his way to the clubhouse.

Rory McIlroy ‘played okay’

World No 2 Rory McIlroy, who birdied three of the last four holes Friday to make the cut, fired a 65 to reach 201, eight strokes adrift.

The Northern Ireland star, who would complete a career Grand Slam by winning next month’s Masters, began on the back nine and holed out an eagle chip from just inside 54 feet at the par-5 eighth to highlight a bogey-free round.

“I played okay,” McIlroy said. “It was nice to get out there and play [decently]. Certainly didn’t have my best, but shot a decent round, and hopefully another good one tomorrow.”

American Davis Thompson birdied seven of the first 10 holes on his way to a 64, matching his best PGA round to stand on 200.

“It was a good day,” Thompson said. “It gives me confidence, knowing I’m playing well. Just got to go do the same thing tomorrow, give myself a lot of good looks and make a few of them.”

Fox sits five back after a five-under 65 for the second straight day to sit in a share of third place.