Low scores have been the norm this week at TPC Lousiana, where light winds and receptive greens have combined to yield birdies in bunches to some of the game’s best players. Here’s what You Oughta Know heading into the final round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where Lucas Glover holds a two-shot lead over a quartet of challengers:
• One week after a Pete Dye venue brought together a pair of U.S. Open champions in a playoff, another winner of the season’s second major is now in position to win at another Dye layout. Lucas Glover leads by two shots, seeking his second win since hoisting the U.S. Open trophy in 2009, following last week’s event at Harbour Town that saw 2010 winner Graeme McDowell defeat reigning U.S. Open champ Webb Simpson on the first extra hole to claim the RBC Heritage.
• Regardless of Sunday’s result, Ken Looper has made the most of his first PGA Tour start amid friendly confines. Looper, who played collegiate golf at both LSU and the University of New Orleans, shot a 62 Monday to earn one of only four spots available through an open qualifier. After struggling to a 1-over 73 Thursday, he followed with rounds of 66 and 67, capped by a chip-in eagle at the 18th hole Saturday, and will begin the final round tied for seventh, just four shots off the lead.
• Billy Horschel and Jimmy Walker enter the final round among a group of four players tied for second, two shots behind Glover, both among the best players still without a maiden PGA Tour victory. Horschel, who was a runner-up last month at the Shell Houston Open, is among the hottest players on Tour and seeking his fourth straight top-10 finish, while Walker tied for third earlier this season at Pebble Beach and also tied for fourth at the Farmers Insurance Open.
• Since claiming his first career PGA Tour win in Phoenix last year, Kyle Stanley has struggled to back up the performance that earned him the trophy at TPC Scottsdale. In 25 subsequent starts last season, Stanley was unable to notch another top-10 finish, while this year the former Clemson standout has missed five cuts in 10 starts, with no finish better than his T-18 at the Honda Classic. After a 7-under 65 Saturday, though, Stanley joined the group tied for second at 12 under and earned a spot in the final pairing Sunday alongside Glover.
• Kevin Stadler has never played a competitive round at Augusta National, but he could earn his first invitation to the Masters with a win Sunday in New Orleans. Stadler, whose father Craig won a green jacket in 1982, has twice been a runner-up on the PGA Tour and earlier this season tied for third at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. After a 7-under 65 Saturday that included birdies on nine of the 18 holes at TPC Louisiana, he finds himself alone in sixth place at 11 under, just three shots behind Glover.
• Ricky Barnes will not earn any awards for consistency this week in the Big Easy, but he nevertheless enters Sunday’s final round with a chance to win. Barnes, who tied the course record with an 8-under 64 Thursday, stumbled to a 4-over 76 during Friday’s second round in which he failed to register a single birdie. The former U.S. Amateur champ bounced back Saturday, though, carding a bogey-free, 6-under 66. At 10 under, he now sits in a tie for seventh, and like many on the Zurich leaderboard will go to bed Saturday night with thoughts of claiming his first career victory.