NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Justin Thomas persevered up the leaderboard Saturday on the Fortinet Championship with a 7-under 65 that matched the most efficient rating of the day and moved the previous No. 1 participant within two pictures of leader Sahith Theegala.
Theegala, in seek of his first PGA Tour victory, had 4 birdies at the again 9, then holed a 9-footer for par on No. 18 for a 67 and a 17-under 199 general.
Cam Davis birdied his remaining 4 holes for a 65 to sign up for Thomas and S.H. Kim (69) at 15 below. Kim had shared the lead with Theegala heading into the 3rd spherical at Silverado Resort, however needed to scramble after consecutive bogeys at the again 9.
Matt Kuchar, looking for his first excursion win since 2019, additionally had a 65 and used to be 3 pictures off the lead at 14 below. Eric Cole (68) additionally used to be 14 below.
Thomas had 5 birdies and holed out of a bunker for eagle at the par-5 fifteenth.
A member of the U.S. Ryder Cup staff, Thomas says his sport nonetheless is not as sharp as he’d favor, however is inspired that he is scoring and in competition on the first prevent at the FedEx Fall agenda.
“I just felt like I was not very sharp today in terms of my actual golf game,” Thomas mentioned. “Felt like I had a handful of wedges that I should have hit closer, a couple putts that I feel like I could have hit a little bit better, and I shot 7 under. To me, being in contention with I feel like the golf that I’ve had this week is more encouraging than anything.”
With a big throng of lovers following him across the path, Theegala used to be erratic off the tee and used to be additionally compelled to do so much of scrambling. He used to be 1 below for the day thru 11 holes then made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 to transport into a tie with Kuchar and Thomas. He took the lead by myself with birdies at the par-5 fifteenth and par-3 seventeenth.
“I really stayed patient at the start of the round,” Theegala mentioned. “The big key for me is just try to keep it in the fairway, which I haven’t done a great job the last three days and I feel like I’m just scrambling. I feel like if I’m in the fairway, it’s almost feels like a bonus.”
Two-time protecting champion Max Homa (70) used to be tied for eleventh at 10 below.
Kuchar drew essentially the most consideration following his best possible spherical of the match. The 45-year-old had 4 birdies at the again 9 together with a chip-in out of the fast tough on No. 17. Kuchar closed his day with a protracted putt for par on No. 18, drawing loud cheers and chants of “Kuch! Kuch!” from the group.
Kuchar had his best possible day of the match off the tee, hitting 8 of 14 fairways which ended in him attending to the vegetables for more uncomplicated putts.
“This course is playing firm and fast, and when it’s that way stopping the ball on the green trying to get a ball to stop close to the hole, it’s tough,” Kuchar mentioned. “For the most part it requires you around here to be in the fairway and try to be aggressive. I found a lot of fairways today.”
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