Viktor Hovland has remained steady amid charges and collapses at the Valspar Championship, leaving him in a three-way tie for the lead. Jacob Bridgeman showed plenty of mettle in his first time as the 36-hole leader, falling four shots behind at the turn and rallying for a one under 70 to share the lead with Hovland (69) and Nico Echavarria (66). They were at seven under 206 with seemingly everyone on their heels on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook in Florida. That includes Justin Thomas, who left on Friday hopeful he would make the cut. He shot 30 on the back nine for a 65, his lowest round at Innisbrook, to finish two behind. Jordan Spieth was entertaining as ever, twice making birdie from deep in the woods and with missing a pair of short par putts, had to settle for a 67. He still was only four shots behind going into a Sunday in which 23 players were separated by four shots. Byeong Hun An was the only player to reach nine under with a birdie on the 11th hole, only to make five bogeys over the final seven holes for a 72. Even so, he was only three back. Hovland came into the week in search of his swing, returning to another coach and being willing to take as much time as he needed to figure out where the ball is going. It's working out in his favour so far. "It's fun to be in contention, but it is a little bit more stressful when you don't feel super comfortable over the ball," Hovland said. "But man, it's fun to see some putts go in and still see the ball end up close to the hole and put some good scores up there." Echavarria, who won in Japan last fall for his second PGA Tour title, finished well ahead of the final groups and played bogey-free for his 66. The Colombian didn't expect to have a share of the lead when he finished, though he knew he would at least have a chance. "This is a golf course where you don't have to be one off the lead starting to get the leaders," he said. "We have seen that it's a hard golf course. You have to drive your ball very well out here. "You have to hit the greens. It's tough around the greens. So we're going to have a chance tomorrow having a good round." Most impressive was Bridgeman, working his way back after at one stage playing seven straight holes without a par. "I was just head down and grind the best I could," Bridgeman said. "I wasn't hitting it great. I wasn't flustered, I wasn't really freaking out. But I knew if I could get the ball in the fairway I would be fine."