Defending champion Tom Kim shares Shriners Children’s Open lead with Adam Hadwin, Lanto Griffin
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Tom Kim of South Korea playing his shot from the fourth tee during the third round of the Shriners Children's Open at TPC Summerlin on Saturday in Las Vegas. He is tied at the top of the leaderboard with Canada’s Adam Hadwin and American Lanto Griffin on 15-under 198.
PHOTO: AFP
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LOS ANGELES – Defending champion Tom Kim closed with a 25-foot birdie putt to fire a nine-under 62 and share the lead after Saturday’s third round of the PGA’s Shriners Children’s Open.
The 21-year-old from South Korea birdied four of the last six holes to stand alongside Canada’s Adam Hadwin (63) and American Lanto Griffin (68) on 15-under 198 at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.
Kim, a joint runner-up at July’s British Open at Royal Liverpool, made nine birdies in all plus an eagle against two bogeys after starting the day six strokes adrift.
“It was great. It’s not bogey-free, but it’s still nine under,” said Kim, who was bogey-free over 72 holes when he won the 2022 title. “I played great today. I got into that place where I was comfortable and I was very calm. I didn’t feel like I was rushing into anything. I was just really in my place.
“I had a lot of good shots. I had a lot of good looks. I left myself in some tough situations but recovered really well.”
Hadwin, who began the day five off the pace, fired a bogey-free 63, his eight birdies including a tap-in at the par-five 16th after driving the green in two and another at the par-three 17th after landing his tee shot within three feet of the hole.
“I was a little off early,” the 35-year-old said. “I chipped in on one to settle things down. I had a great up and down from just behind the green on three as well.
“And then I started hitting some really good shots. I ‘flushed’ it out there. I’ve been hitting it really well for three days. Made a few more putts today.”
Griffin, a 36-hole co-leader whose only PGA win came at the 2019 Houston Open, began with 12 pars then birdied three of the last six holes to stay at the top.
Three golfers – Taylor Pendrith of Canada (65), American Vince Whaley (65) and Lee Kyoung-hoon of South Korea (66) – are one stroke back in a tie for fourth. And another four sit tied for seventh just two shots off the lead, including Switzerland’s Callum Tarren, who matched Kim’s 62 for low round of the day and vaulted 41 spots up the leaderboard and into contention.
Tarren fashioned a round of nine birdies and an eagle playing with American Isaiah Salinda, who carded a 63 to be also among those at 13 under.
“We just fed off each other, really,” Tarren said. “It was super fun. I said to him on 18, ‘This has been a good day for us both’. It’s just crazy. But the momentum was on our side today, and to produce nine and eight under is pretty good going.”
Second-round co-leader Cameron Champ shot 74, falling into a tie for 24th at nine under. AFP, REUTERS
