World No. 5 Thomas seizes PGA Tour lead at Muirfield
World No. 5 Justin Thomas of the United States has a two-shot lead after 54 holes of the US PGA Tour Workday Charity Initiating at Muirfield Village (AFP Photograph/SAM GREENWOOD)
Washington (AFP) – Justin Thomas closed in on his third maintain shut of the coronavirus disrupted US PGA Tour season Saturday, firing a six-under par 66 to acquire a two-shot lead over Viktor Hovland at Muirfield Village in Ohio.
Thomas, whose 12 tour titles consist of a important triumph on the 2017 PGA Championship, had six birdies without a bogey on programs to a 54-gap total of 16-under 200.
Norway’s Hovland had eight birdies in his 66 as he joined Thomas in overhauling in a single day chief Collin Morikawa, who began the day with a three-shot lead and fired an even par 72 to head into Sunday alone in third on 203.
Kevin Streelman (71) on 205.” data-reactid=”26″ type=”text”>It turned into a additional two strokes again to Sam Burns (70) and Kevin Streelman (71) on 205.
Aid-to-again birdies on the fifth and sixth let Morikawa get his lead whilst Thomas strung together three straight birdies at 5, six and seven — blasting out of a greenside bunker to two feet on the seventh to create a stroke on the chief.
Morikawa’s bogeys on the ninth and 10th opened the door for Thomas, who took beefy advantage, rolling in an 18 foot birdie putt on the 11th to maintain the lead and padding it with birdies at 14 and 15.
World quantity 5 Thomas maintained his cushion with a par save from a greenside bunker at 16.
“I purchased around totally this day,” Thomas acknowledged. “Scrambling, chipping and inserting, I’ve made those putts after I get to, I’ve hit some huge chips and huge bunker shots after I desired to.”
This week’s Workday Charity Initiating is the major of again-to-again events on the Jack Nicklaus designed Muirfield Village, added in to raise the coronavirus-disrupted calendar.
The Nicklaus-hosted Memorial will inform subsequent week, and Thomas acknowledged efforts to give the 2 events a loads of look made for some interesting holes.
“Some pin placements I’ve never considered before,” he acknowledged. “Loads of ins, admire 11, you set in inform rounds, they’re more or less actual within the center of the inexperienced. They give the impact of being easy, however they’re on enormous slopes or they’re on a floor.”
– ‘Seeking to produce birdie’ –
After rain, wind and lightning resulted in two suspensions on Friday, the weather turned into sunny however windy for the third round.
Tee times were moved up for Sunday, nonetheless, with more inclement weather within the forecast.
Thomas, who hasn’t had a bogey this week, acknowledged he wouldn’t be fascinated about retaining that fade alive within the final round.
“Overall bogeys are going to happen,” acknowledged Thomas, who won the CJ Cup at 9 Bridges again in October and the Match of Champions in January before the tour halted play in March within the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m actual going to exit there and maintain executing my game realizing. I’m now not making an strive to now not produce a bogey. I’m stepping on the tee making an strive to hit the green, making an strive to produce birdie. If you are out of map, then you definately try to produce a par.”
Hovland is looking for his 2d US tour title this season, having obtained his maiden maintain shut on the Puerto Rico Initiating in February.
His six-under effort turned into powered by his size off the tee.
“Out here riding is extraordinarily crucial,” he acknowledged. “I’ve more or less been spraying a pair out to the real so if I will maintain them a bit straighter tomorrow I will give myself quite loads of birdie looks.”