Wyndham Clark fires 63 for two-stroke lead at Wells Fargo as Xander Schauffele lurks

Wyndham Clark hitting his tee shot on the 16th hole during the third round of the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament on Saturday. PHOTO: REUTERS

WASHINGTON – Mental strength was the key for Wyndham Clark, as he fired an eight-under 63 to seize a two-stroke lead over Xander Schauffele after Saturday’s third round of the Wells Fargo Championship.

The 29-year-old American, chasing his first PGA Tour title, had eight birdies in a bogey-free round to stand at 16-under 197 after 54 holes at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“I felt like I was really mentally strong,” he said.

“It’s a high-pressure, tough golf course and early on guys were making birdies.

“But I just stayed really patient and I was, as they say, kind of in the zone and really focused out there. Felt good about it.”

US playing partner Schauffele, who is the reigning Olympic champion, went four under over the last five holes to shoot 64 for second place on 199.

“Monkey see, monkey do is definitely a thing that happens out here,” he said. “Fortunately, it was the guy next to me (playing well).”

Australia’s Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters champion and a former world No. 1, shot 67 and shared third on 202 at the US$20 million (S$26.5 million) event with England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who carded 68.

World No. 80 Clark has had three top-six finishes in his past five starts. His only other top-five showing came at the 2020 Bermuda Championship, when he lost a play-off to Brian Gay.

“I meditate every day if I can, read a lot of books and then I’ve been setting mental goals versus outcome goals,” he added, of his new mental approach to his game.

“I’m trying to get myself in the right mindset for the day. If I can do that, I’m hoping the scores take care of itself and thus far it has.”

Schauffele, eyeing his eighth PGA Tour title and first of the year, has seven top-10 finishes this season. He reeled off four birdies in a row from the par-five seventh to par-five 10th holes.

He then answered a bogey at the 12th with a birdie at the 14th, a 26-foot eagle putt at the par-five 15th and a 12-foot birdie putt at the 16th to pull within two of Clark.

He could have matched Rory McIlroy’s 2010 effort with six threes to close his round but missed an 11-foot birdie putt at the 18th.

“I’d say the course is so manicured and it’s in such good shape that, if you do hit a good putt from 30 feet, you’re probably going to make it,” Schauffele said.

“If you hit really good chips and good putts, you get rewarded.”
AFP, REUTERS

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