HONOLULU — J.J. Spaun received up-and-down for birdie on the par-5 18th gap Saturday for a 5-under 65, the ultimate birdie giving him a one-shot lead on the Sony Open going right into a closing spherical the place greater than a dozen gamers stay within the combine.
Spaun combined bogeys with birdies over the ultimate 4 holes at windy Waialae, the dropped pictures costing him and Patrick Fishburn an opportunity to create some separation.
As a substitute, it’s the identical outdated scene alongside the shores simply east of Waikiki Seashore. This old-school course with its doglegs and deep bunkers and unpredictable Bermuda tough has a manner of staying bunched till the very finish.
Stephen Jaeger, the German greatest generally known as the one participant to beat Scottie Scheffler within the Houston Open throughout Scheffler’s most dominant stretch final 12 months, had 9 birdies in a 62 and wasn’t positive the place that would go away him when he completed.
He was one shot behind, together with Fishburn (68) and Eric Cole (67).
Jaeger was six pictures behind going into the third spherical. He additionally had 40 gamers between him and the 2 gamers atop the leaderboard.
“You’re in limbo at that time,” Jaeger stated. “You’re both going to have an excellent spherical and have an opportunity or … to shoot an excellent spherical and be in rivalry is good.”
Fishburn, in his Sony debut as a second-year participant out of Utah, was the one participant to succeed in 14 underneath along with his birdie on the par-5 ninth to exit in 31 and create some separation. However he made just one birdie the remainder of the best way, blasting a drive 360 yards with the wind at his again and hitting a flip wedge that rolled over the cup. He additionally made three bogeys, and he didn’t birdie the par 5 closing gap.
Spaun was at 13-under 197.
“I’ve felt fairly calm and relaxed on the market. It’s been a enjoyable week right here in Hawaii,” he stated. “It’s at all times laid again and easygoing. I’ve been carrying that mindset on the course, and it’s simple to really feel that manner when issues are going your manner and also you’re enjoying properly. Simply attempt to hone in on that tomorrow and see what occurs.”
Fishburn dropping just a few pictures introduced many again into the event.
Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley birdied his final two holes for a 64 and was within the group two pictures behind that included Nick Taylor of Canada (65), former Open champion Brian Harman (66) and Nico Echavarria of Chile, the Zozo Championship winner in Japan final fall who performed bogey-free within the wind for a 66.
Tee occasions, groupings and find out how to watch the ultimate spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii.
“As quickly as we made the flip there, the circumstances received fairly a bit more durable,” Fishburn stated. “A variety of the wind was arduous off the left with pins on the left, so it was a difficult setup.”
The group three pictures behind included Lucas Glover and Gary Woodland, who returned from mind surgical procedure on the Sony Open a 12 months in the past and took till later within the 12 months earlier than he received his mind functioning the suitable manner by respiratory and meditation workout routines.
Woodland, who had a second straight 66, has performed at Waialae sufficient to realize it’s normally bunched — Justin Thomas was the exception in 2017 when he set the PGA Tour’s scoring file at 253 — and {that a} winner can come out of nowhere.
“If you will get scorching, you may make a run,” Woodland stated. “It wouldn’t shock me if somebody got here from behind and posted a quantity. All the pieces is trending in the suitable route. A few guys posted a great quantity. Hopefully, that’s me tomorrow.”
Jaeger stood out with the low spherical of the event. He made a pair of 20-foot birdies on the entrance 9 — he began on No. 10 — and received a giant increase with a birdie from just below 60 toes on the eighth gap. He completed with a wedge to 4 toes for birdie on the par-5 ninth.
“I performed fairly aggressively off the tee, a variety of drivers. If I can get them within the fairways I’ll have a variety of shorter pictures in,” Jaeger stated. “If you happen to miss the fairways, you’re going to must be inventive to get these balls on the greens and get good birdie putts. Nothing will change. Sport feels good, so I’m enthusiastic about tomorrow.”
