HONOLULU — J.J. Spaun acquired 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 ultimate spherical the place greater than a dozen gamers stay within the combine.
Spaun blended 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 previous 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 means of staying bunched till the very finish.
Stephen Jaeger, the German greatest often 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 certain 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 mentioned. “You’re both going to have an incredible spherical and have an opportunity or … to shoot an incredible 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 achieve 14 beneath together 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 did not 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 mentioned. “It’s at all times laid again and easygoing. I’ve been carrying that mindset on the course, and it’s straightforward to really feel that means when issues are going your means and also you’re enjoying effectively. Simply attempt to hone in on that tomorrow and see what occurs.”
Fishburn dropping a number of 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 instances, groupings and tips on how to watch the ultimate spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii.
“As quickly as we made the flip there, the situations acquired fairly a bit more durable,” Fishburn mentioned. “Quite a lot of the wind was onerous 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 acquired his mind functioning the precise means by means of respiratory and meditation workouts.
Woodland, who had a second straight 66, has performed at Waialae sufficient to comprehend it’s normally bunched — Justin Thomas was the exception in 2017 when he set the PGA Tour’s scoring document at 253 — and {that a} winner can come out of nowhere.
“If you may get sizzling, you can also make a run,” Woodland mentioned. “It wouldn’t shock me if somebody got here from behind and posted a quantity. Every little thing is trending in the precise path. A few guys posted a very good 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 acquired a giant enhance 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, loads of drivers. If I can get them within the fairways I’ll have loads of shorter pictures in,” Jaeger mentioned. “For those who miss the fairways, you’re going to need to be inventive to get these balls on the greens and get good birdie putts. Nothing will change. Recreation feels good, so I’m enthusiastic about tomorrow.”
