NAPA, Calif. — Justin Thomas continued up the leaderboard Saturday on the Fortinet Championship with a 7-under 65 that matched the most effective rating of the day and moved the previous No. 1 participant inside two pictures of chief Sahith Theegala.
Theegala, in the hunt for his first PGA Tour victory, had 4 birdies on the again 9, then holed a 9-footer for par on No. 18 for a 67 and a 17-under 199 complete.
Cam Davis birdied his final 4 holes for a 65 to affix Thomas and S.H. Kim (69) at 15 beneath. Kim had shared the lead with Theegala heading into the third spherical at Silverado Resort, however needed to scramble after consecutive bogeys on the again 9.
Matt Kuchar, searching for his first tour win since 2019, additionally had a 65 and was three pictures off the lead at 14 beneath. Eric Cole (68) additionally was 14 beneath.
Thomas had 5 birdies and holed out of a bunker for eagle on the par-5 fifteenth.
A member of the U.S. Ryder Cup crew, Thomas says his sport nonetheless is not as sharp as he’d favor, however is inspired that he is scoring and in rivalry on the first cease on the FedEx Fall schedule.
“I simply felt like I used to be not very sharp at the moment when it comes to my precise golf sport,” Thomas mentioned. “Felt like I had a handful of wedges that I ought to have hit nearer, a pair putts that I really feel like I might have hit a little bit bit higher, and I shot 7 beneath. To me, being in rivalry with I really feel just like the golf that I’ve had this week is extra encouraging than something.”
With a big throng of followers following him across the course, Theegala was erratic off the tee and was additionally compelled to do lots of scrambling. He was 1 beneath for the day by means of 11 holes then made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 to maneuver right into a tie with Kuchar and Thomas. He took the lead alone with birdies on the par-5 fifteenth and par-3 seventeenth.
“I actually stayed affected person at the beginning of the spherical,” Theegala mentioned. “The massive key for me is simply attempt to maintain it within the fairway, which I have never executed a fantastic job the final three days and I really feel like I am simply scrambling. I really feel like if I am within the fairway, it is nearly seems like a bonus.”
Two-time defending champion Max Homa (70) was tied for eleventh at 10 beneath.
Kuchar drew probably the most consideration following his finest spherical of the match. The 45-year-old had 4 birdies on the again 9 together with a chip-in out of the brief 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 gang.
Kuchar had his finest day of the match off the tee, hitting eight of 14 fairways which led to him attending to the greens for simpler putts.
“This course is enjoying agency and quick, and when it is that manner stopping the ball on the inexperienced attempting to get a ball to cease near the opening, it is robust,” Kuchar mentioned. “For probably the most half it requires you round right here to be within the fairway and attempt to be aggressive. I discovered lots of fairways at the moment.”
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