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CROMWELL, Conn. — Xander Schauffele shot a 3-under 67 on Saturday to take a 1-stroke lead over good good friend and taking part in associate Patrick Cantlay into the ultimate spherical of the Vacationers Championship.
Schauffele had a 17-under 193 whole at TPC River Highlands. Cantlay shot 63.
Rookie Sahith Theegala was third at 14 underneath after a spherical of 64, and Kevin Kisner had a 66 to get to 13 underneath.
Schauffele started the day at 14 underneath with a 5-stroke lead. The Olympic champion birdied the second gap for the third time this week and had one other at No. 6, a part of a career-best run of 48 holes and not using a bogey.
However he put his tee shot at 13 within the water and briefly fell right into a tie for the lead after a bogey. He broke his minor birdie drought at 16, then hit the pin on his method at 17 and sank one other.
“I’d like to have that tee ball again on 13,” he stated. “For essentially the most half, I knew it wasn’t going to be straightforward to guard a lead, particularly when it is 5 pictures and it is simple to get comfy.”
Cantlay’s bogey-free spherical was the most effective of the day.
Schauffele and Cantlay have been shut pals since being paired collectively on the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia, and so they mixed to win the Zurich Traditional this season.
“If solely it was a mixed rating once more this week, we’d be doing effectively,” Cantlay stated jokingly. “It is at all times good to be out with him, if he is on my staff or if he isn’t. I’ll go on the market tomorrow and take a look at as laborious as I can and let the chips fall the place they might.”
Schauffele is on the lookout for his sixth particular person title and first because the 2019 Sentry Event of Champions. He is also capturing for his sixth straight top-20 end. He and Cantlay completed tied for 14th final week within the U.S. Open.
“I have been wanting ahead to taking part in with Pat in a remaining spherical,” Schauffele stated. “We do not get paired collectively fairly often in common tournaments, solely in these staff ones. So there is a sure stage of consolation now we have taking part in with one another, and hopefully that pays off and hopefully we are able to make a variety of birdies.”
Theegala had an eagle on 13 to go together with 4 birdies. The 24-year-old Californian hit his second shot on the par-4 seventeenth over the course’s signature lake to a few foot from the pin, briefly tying Schauffele for the lead. However he bogeyed the ultimate gap.
He’s seeking to turn into the 18th participant to get his first tour win in Connecticut. Ken Duke was the final to do it in 2013.
“I am undoubtedly going to be nervous, undoubtedly going to be excited,” he stated. “Each single week I am out right here, I really feel like I am getting an increasing number of comfy.”
Former U.S. Junior champion Michael Thorbjornsen shot a 66 to place himself in competition. He began the weekend at 7 underneath, simply the third beginner to make a PGA Tour reduce in 2022. The Stanford star is in a gaggle of 4 tied for seventh place, however he stated he wasn’t feeling a lot strain.
“One factor that may assistance is successful or coming in second or third, I am not getting paid both means, so it is one other event for me,” he stated. “It is simply one other spherical for me, and I will simply attempt to go on the market and do the identical factor I did as we speak.”
Harris English, who’s attempting to turn into simply the second participant to efficiently defend his title right here after Phil Mickelson received in 2002, shot a 69 and was in a gaggle at 10 underneath.
Prime-ranked Scottie Scheffler was additionally in that group after capturing a 65. He started the weekend 9 strokes behind Schauffele.
“Perhaps I will exit tomorrow and do one thing loopy and we’ll see what occurs,” Scheffler stated.
First-round co-leader Rory McIlroy (72) acquired in hassle early Saturday, hitting his tee shot on No. 2 off a close-by tree and into the tall grass 108 yards throughout the green to the best. After a 39 on the again 9 Friday, he shot 36 on the entrance 9 Saturday and completed 2 over for the day and 6 underneath for the event, 11 strokes off the tempo.
There was additionally a buzz on the event Saturday round a participant who was now not even in Cromwell.
Jason Kokrak was disqualified Friday after launching his remaining shot on the ninth gap over the inexperienced and the fence behind it. Kokrak, who would have missed the reduce anyhow, left the course with out replaying the shot.
William McGirt, who was taking part in in the identical group, stated Kokrak merely did not see any level in ending the opening.
“He was like, ‘I am not going to carry anyone up,'” McGirt stated. “He did not storm off the golf course.”
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