NASSAU, Bahamas – Justin Thomas has one final probability to win a match in 2024 and he’ll head into the ultimate spherical with a one-stroke lead over world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler on the Hero World Problem.
Thomas carded a bogey-free 6-under 66 at Albany Membership on a heat and wind-swept Saturday to enhance to 17-under 199.
“I didn’t think I played nearly as well as he had the first two days but it was tough out there and I made a few more putts,” he stated.
Thomas struggled mightily with the putter the primary two days, rating final in Strokes Gained: Placing, and joked, “there was only one way to go.”
He reeled off birdies at Nos. 4 and 6 from inside 10 ft after which let his driver do some harm. Utilizing a 46-inch driver this week, he drove the inexperienced on the 359-yard seventh to inside 10 ft and two-putted for birdie.
“That was nice,” he stated. “I didn’t have to go full go. It was an advantage for me. I felt like I could be in control… Because how the green sits, you can’t see the ball until you get up there so it was nice to see it up there.”
He tacked on a birdie at 9 to exit in 32. His subsequent birdie, at No. 14, was an unlikely one. After being out of place off the tee, his pitch ran 47 ft previous the outlet, however he buried it after recalling one thing his caddie had stated the opposite day.
“I had a similar thing on Thursday where I hit a bad chip and Rev was, you can still make the putt, you’re fine, that kind of thing. I kind of reminded myself that,” he stated.
Justin Thomas from 47 FEET OUT to seize a share of the lead! 📈
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Thomas has had a whole lot of success on the Hero through the years, proudly owning top-five finishes in his 4 most up-to-date appearances (third/2023, fifth/2022, T-5/2021, T-5/2019). However victory has eluded him at any Tour occasion for the reason that 2022 PGA Championship.
“I’ve been progressing nicely, been working on all the right things. Feel like I’ve been seeing signs of improvement, which is what you want and that’s all I can do. I can’t control everybody else or what’s going on, I’ve just got to keep playing as good as I possibly can and hope that it’s enough come Sunday,” he stated.
If that’s the case, that trophy would come from none apart from Tiger Woods.
“That would be great. I’ve had a couple opportunities in the past, but it’s definitely something I’d love to check off my box in my career at some point,” he stated.
Scottie Scheffler of the US walks off the seventh tee in the course of the third spherical of the Hero World Problem 2024 at Albany Golf Course on December 07, 2024 in Nassau, Bahamas. (Photograph by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photographs)
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler shot 69 on Saturday and performed his manner into the ultimate group alongside Justin Thomas. However is he happy along with his play up to now, which included an 8-under 64 on Friday? Not a lot.
“Pleased I think would be a stretch, but overall my game’s in a good spot,” he stated. “I’ve liked what I’ve seen the last few days out there on the course and hoping to finish off with a real solid round tomorrow.”
If happy wasn’t the correct phrase, Scheffler was requested what phrase he’d use as an alternative. “That’s too difficult a question. My vocabulary is not that vast,” he stated with a smile and a chuckle.
Earlier in his feedback summing up the spherical, he selected the phrase “decent.”
“I had a stretch at 13, 14, 15 where I felt like I lost a shot or two there, but outside of that I did a lot of really good things today,” he stated.
Scheffler complained of some too many lip-outs spoiling what might’ve been one other mid-60s spherical for him.
“I felt I had some good putts that should have gone in. I had a putt on 1 that looked really good, I had a putt on 10, putt there on 18 that I hit a really good putt just around the cup,” he stated. “Overall I feel like it’s coming off my blade really nice. Yeah, so every time it looks like it’s going towards the hole, I feel like it should be going in and that’s a good feeling.”
Tom Kim of South Korea and caddie, Paul Tesori, look on from the third tee in the course of the third spherical of the Hero World Problem 2024 at Albany Golf Course on December 07, 2024 in Nassau, Bahamas. (Photograph by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photographs)
Tom Kim had a great feeling.
Coming off the lone hiccup of his day at 17, the place he wanted two photographs to extricate himself from the sand, Kim caught the left bunker at 18 and acquired his revenge. He holed the bunker shot for birdie, his twelfth of the day, and posted 10-under 62. Then he advised caddie Paul Tesori he knew he was going to make it.
“He actually called BS on it,” Kim stated. “He said, ‘No, you didn’t,’ and I tell him like I really did. I saw a good spot, it was a really good spot to miss at. We talked over the shot and kind of let it go. As soon as it landed, I was like, man, this is a really good shot.”
TOM KIM, ARE YOU SERIOUS?! 🤯🔥
Bunker hole-out on 18 for an unimaginable spherical of 62!
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Man, was it a very good day. Kim’s 12 birdies had been essentially the most he’s ever made on the Tour.
“I had a few long putts where you’re not really expecting to make and those go in. I did a lot of good things just to keep my momentum going,” he stated, noting a clutch par save at No. 8 and a 20-footer on No. 9. “Made a bomb on 10. Had a really easy — I hit a good drive on 11 so it was kind of like an easy birdie, but didn’t hit it on the green and chipped it really good.”
On condition that the wind picked up and scoring tended to be greater on Saturday, Scheffler was impressed with Kim’s skill to go low.
“That’s pretty serious golf out there,” he stated. “I feel like I played pretty solid yesterday with no wind and shot 8, so 10 in the wind is a pretty special round.”
Kim vaulted to fifteen beneath general, good for solo third and two again of the lead, which is all of the extra spectacular provided that he was 3 over after six holes and opened in 2-over 74. Kim stated he made a small adjustment that has paid fast dividends.
“My spin numbers were coming out a little different than usual. So paid a lot of attention after the round and just put that in play yesterday and automatically I saw some results and I just kind of did the same thing and just seems to be paying off a little bit,” he stated.
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Publish date : 2024-12-07 23:16:37
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