Three-time Tour winner Todd shot a five-under 66 in breezy conditions to reach 16-under at TPC Deere Run on Saturday after scrambling a par on the 18th.
“Kept me bogey-free and kept me in the lead,” Todd said. “You always want to be the guy being chased.”
Todd eagled the par-5 2nd, holing a 25-footer, and birdied Nos.13, 15 and 16. The 37-year-old former Georgia player won the 2014 Byron Nelson and added victories in consecutive starts in November 2019 in Bermuda and Mexico.
Fellow Americans Alex Smalley (62), Denny McCarthy (66) and Adam Schenk (67) were tied for second.
“It’s just head down and make birdies,” Todd said. “It’s going to be hard to run away and hide here, but that’s the goal.
“Anybody who is within three shots of the lead is looking to go as low as they can. So. there’s certainly going to be no defence for me tomorrow. It’s going…