Wyndham Clark, Beau Hossler maintain lead at PGA Zurich Classic
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Beau Hossler and Wyndham Clark preparing to putt on the 17th green during the third round.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
LOUISIANA – Wyndham Clark and Beau Hossler remained bogey free on Saturday to maintain a one-stroke lead over the rest of the field after three rounds at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
The pair combined for a 10-under 62 on Saturday to get to 26 under for the tournament. Their day featured 10 team birdies at TPC Louisiana in Avondale.
“It’s going to be a cool environment and a unique experience frankly to have a chance to win a golf tournament with a partner, something that I have not had a chance to do,” Hossler, 28, said.
“I know Wyndham has here in the past. So, it will be a nice little Sunday for us.”
The only team-based tournament on the PGA Tour schedule, the Zurich Classic uses a four-ball (best-ball) format in the first and third rounds, and foursomes (alternate shot) in the second and final rounds.
Clark pointed to the nature of the format being an advantage for keeping pressure at a minimum going into the final round.
“I just think it lightens the mood,” the 29-year-old said. “Sometimes when you’re alone, it feels like you’re out on an island. When the momentum gets going bad, when you’re on your own, sometimes it’s tough to turn that.
“With a teammate, you can kind of feed off each other and really not allow that momentum to get going in the wrong direction. So, I hope tomorrow we’re light and loose like we’ve been all three days... I think it will be great.”
The duo of Keith Mitchell and South Korea’s Im Sung-jae sit a stroke back in second place. They matched the leaders with 10 birdies on their way to a 62 on Saturday.
Mitchell credited his teammate for the strong showing.
“He was honestly incredible,” the 31-year-old said. “I’m feeling really good about Sung-jae’s golf game. The guy has proven he’s one of the best players in the world.
“He’s only 25 years old, and the fact he’s won only twice, I think is underrated for how good his game is. Being 25, being his fifth year on Tour, and this amount of talent, I think we’re going to see a Hall of Famer in the future.”
Three other teams remain bogey free entering Sunday, one of those being the pairing of Matthew NeSmith and Taylor Moore, who are tied for third after shooting a nine-under 63.
Also in third at 23 under are Sweden’s Vincent Norrman and Austria’s Matthias Schwab (62 on Saturday) and Nick Hardy and Davis Riley (63).
Reigning Olympic champion Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, the title holders, shot 66 to share 10th place on 196. Cantlay and Schauffele, fourth and fifth in the world rankings respectively, set a foursomes event record with a 63 on Friday.
American Charley Hoffman, 46, aced the 210-yard par-three ninth hole with a 23-degree hybrid for his third career PGA hole-in-one, while Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard, 22, lipped out with his tee shot on the par-four 16th. REUTERS, AFP
