Steven Bowditch shot a four-under-par 65 in the AT&T Byron Nelson at T.P.C. Four Seasons in Irving, Tex., to take a two-stroke lead and leave the hometown favorite, Jordan Spieth, six shots back heading into the final round.

Bowditch finished the day at 13-under 195. Dustin Johnson was in a group tied for second after shooting the day’s low round, a 62.

IRVING, Texas — Steven Bowditch is a native Australian, but Texas is growing on him. He’s lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for the last 10 years and then ended up meeting his wife here.

“I basically threw a dart at the map when I first came over here in 2005,” Bowditch said, adding with a smile, “and then ended up marrying me a Texan, so I’m stuck now.”

Oh, and Bowditch’s only win on the PGA TOUR came last year at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio. If he’s going to add to that total this week, he couldn’t have produced a better start, shooting a bogey-free 8-under 62 in the first round of the AT&T Byron Nelson, equaling his low round on TOUR.

Bowditch, who owns a two-shot lead over Jimmy Walker, said the AT&T Byron Nelson is starting to feel like a home event for him, especially with his family and friends in the gallery.

But as comforting as it was to see familiar faces in the crowd, Bowditch likely benefited more from a change in his putting. Feeling that the putter was a little light in his hands, he added 10 grams to his Bettinardi putter on Wednesday, and received an immediate payoff.

Bowditch rolled in a birdie putt of 24 feet on his opening hole, and made two other birdies putts from 30 and 29 feet before making the turn. He also added an 18-footer for birdie coming in. While he’s had other rounds with better ball-striking, Bowditch said this was his finest round on TOUR for distance putting.

“I typically don’t make a lot of longer putts,” Bowditch said.

Steven Bowditch watches his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the Byron Nelson golf tournament, Saturday, May 30, 2015, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)