England’s Paul Casey holds a four-stroke lead heading into the final round of the Travelers Championship after shooting a brilliant 62, his lowest career round on the PGA Tour.

The highlight of the 40-year-old’s round was an eagle after driving the 273-yard par-four 15th at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, but a further six birdies took him to 16 under, well clear of second-placed American Russell Henley.

“That’s something I rarely see from me, 18 greens in regulation, so whatever he (swing coach Peter Kostis) told me worked,” said Casey in his post-round interview.

Casey, who won the Valspar Championship in March, has world number nine Jason Day and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson six shots behind.

“I put a little bit more pressure on my short game to step up,” Day said. “It has been a pretty good week with the short game. I’m chipping really nice.”

He added: “If you get away 2-under on the front side tomorrow and can get something going from 11 on, 13, 15 and one out of the last three, that’s where you can start pushing. You can put a lot of pressure on the guys in front.”

Casey’s potential Ryder Cup team-mate, Rory McIlroy, appears too far back to challenge.

A second successive 69 for the Northern Irishman was well off the pace, with most of his rivals scoring in the mid to low 60s, and at eight under the four-time major champion has probably left himself too much to do.

He too eagled the 15th, chipping in from the front of the green, but a bogey at the last – his third of the day after two earlier birdies – was a disappointing way to end.