Stephan Jaeger takes outright lead with 90-foot birdie putt at Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna

OMAHA, Neb. – It had to be Stephan Jaeger. On the penultimate day of the Korn Ferry Tour’s 43-event regular season, it was fitting the 2020-21 points standings leader delivered yet another bomb of a birdie putt and took the outright 54-hole lead Saturday evening at the Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna.

Jaeger, a native of Munich, Germany, made a 90-footer for birdie at The Club at Indian Creek’s par-4 18th, emphatically capping a 6-under 65 and moving to 12-under par for the tournament. The birdie put Jaeger one stroke ahead of Wade Binfield, who will join him in the final pairing Sunday.

“Icing on the cake,” Jaeger said. “I caught a flier out of the rough and it went almost (to) the back edge of the green for a front flag. I was just trying to get good speed on (the putt). There wasn’t a lot of movement in it. I just wanted to lag it down there and get it close. It had been a good round either way. Finishing it off was fun.”

Jaeger made the turn with a bogey-free 2-under 34 on the front side, with birdies at the par-4 second and par-5 seventh. A birdie at the par-4 10th was negated by a bogey at the par-4 14th, but Jaeger’s putter caught fire down the closing stretch. The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga alum eagled the par-5 15th, poured in a lengthy birdie putt at the 17th, and closed the day with the bomb on No. 18.

“I hit some good putts early on, and missed a couple in the makeable range,” Jaeger said. “My speed has been really good. When your speed is good around those 20-, 35-footers, these greens are so pure you’ve got some chances. After the bogey, I knew there were a couple birdie opportunities coming in.”

This marks the fourth time this season Jaeger holds at least a share of the 54-hole lead, and Sunday’s final round will be the fifth time he plays in the final group this season. It will also give Jaeger yet another run at a Three-Victory Promotion, which would grant him fully-exempt status for the 2022 PGA TOUR season, no matter the results of the upcoming Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

“It’s not as much about the third win,” Jaeger said. “If it happens tomorrow, it’s great. If it doesn’t happen tomorrow, I know I’m playing good. We are going to golf courses I like, and I’ve played well in the past. There is not a lot of worry there. I’m really excited.

“There is a lot of pressure on some guys tomorrow. There’s a lot of pressure on me. The most pressure… I put on myself. I’ve said before, I like being uncomfortable, and it’s going to happen tomorrow. I’m excited for it. I think it’s going to be good TV. I’m just here to play well and see what happens.”

In addition to the status which comes with a Three-Victory Promotion, a win for Jaeger Sunday evening would be the seventh of his Korn Ferry Tour career, a total which would tie Jason Gore’s all-time record.

“This year has been a little different than the years past. I’ve given myself a lot more opportunities this year. And I’ve lost some tournaments, thinking back (to) Knoxville and Raleigh. I felt like I left the win out there,” Jaeger said. “I’d say I’m pretty relaxed tomorrow, just because I don’t have to keep my card or try to get in the top 25. There’s a lot of pressure. I’ve been there, and I had to perform under that. It’s nice to freewheel it tomorrow on a tough golf course. It’ll be fun.”

On the bubble for The 25, Curtis Thompson shined brightest, firing a 3-under 68 and moving into T3 position. Thompson, who quit professional golf following the 2018 Korn Ferry Tour season, is seeking his first PGA TOUR card and currently projects to move from 23rd to 20th in the points standings.

Austin Smotherman, currently 26th in the points standings, also carded a 3-under 68 and rose to T7 on the leaderboard. A native of Loomis, California chasing his first PGA TOUR card, Smotherman currently projects to move from 26th to 23rd in the points standings.

“Feeling excited,” Smotherman said. “Nervous, but all the good nerves you want to have. I’ll be patient tomorrow and let that unfold. I’m super excited.”

Final-round pairings will run from 9:07 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. local time off the first tee.