Burns leads Houston Open, Day and Johnson in contention

Sam Burns retained the lead at the Houston Open, but Jason Day and Dustin Johnson are among those in contention.

Burns, 24, holds a 54-hole lead for the first time in his PGA Tour career after carding a two-under 68 at the Memorial Park Municipal Golf Course.

The American moved into nine under, a stroke ahead of Australian Day (67) and Mexican Carlos Ortiz (67).

Burns, who has two top-10 finishes this year, had an eagle, four birdies and four bogeys during his third round.

Tracking the whole way.@SamBurns66 regains a share of the lead in style. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/tXibiw0nCy
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 7, 2020

Without a top-10 finish since the US PGA Championship in August, Day is in contention after a third straight round in the 60s.

Sepp Straka (66) is outright fourth at seven under, a shot ahead of Johnson.

World number one Johnson, playing for the first time since the U.S. Open, carded a second straight 66, having opened with a 72.

Johnson produced a bogey-free third round, making four birdies – including a 17-footer at the fifth.

Climbing the leaderboard. @DJohnsonPGA gets to -4 on the day and is just two strokes back.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/FYwDzjJsGz
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 7, 2020

Aaron Wise (69) and Dawie van der Walt (69) are at five under, one shot ahead of Hideki Matsuyama (66), Michael Thompson (67), Shane Lowry (68), Tony Finau (68) and Patton Kizzire (70).

Brooks Koepka showed some better form ahead of next week's Masters, the American firing a five-under 65 – the equal best round of the day – to move into a tie for 13th at three under.