Lee Hodges and Paul Barjon took benefit of a late tee time Saturday to overlook the worst of a windy day and share the third-round lead within the American Categorical.
“It was robust early, and it sort of died on our again 9 slightly bit,” Hodges mentioned. “It was on and off, nevertheless it was a superb wind. The straightforward holes have been enjoying slightly simpler, however the laborious holes have been laborious. So that you simply needed to make a pair pars after which get to these downwind holes.”
Taking part in collectively within the ultimate group off the tenth tee on PGA West’s Stadium Course, the PGA Tour rookies and shut buddies every birdied the par-five fifth, par-four seventh and par-five eighth and closed with a par.
“We’re simply greatest buddies, and we now have a good time on the market,” Hodges mentioned. “We maintain it actually gentle, and it’s straightforward to compete when your folks are enjoying effectively.”
Hodges, a 26-year-old former Alabama golfer, shot an eight-under-par 64. Barjon, a 29-year-old Frenchman who performed at Texas Christian, had a 65.
“We simply sort of feed off one another, so it’s been enjoyable,” Barjon mentioned.
Hodges opened Thursday with a 62 at La Quinta Nation Membership for a share of the first-round lead with defending FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay, then shot a 72 on Friday on PGA West’s Jack Nicklaus Event Course.
Hodges and Barjon, each making their 14th PGA Tour begin, have been at 18-under 198.
Tom Hoge was a stroke again after a 68 at La Quinta, enjoying within the second group off the primary tee within the strongest wind of the day.
“Typically, I might say it’s higher to be right here,” Hoge mentioned about tree-lined La Quinta. “It’s slightly extra shielded from the timber and slightly bit shorter golf course, so you may play slightly extra conservatively off the tee, get the ball in play and go from there.”
Hoge opened along with his lone bogey of the week. He holed out from a greenside bunker on the par-four fourth for the primary of three consecutive birdies, added a birdie on the par-five eleventh and parred the final seven holes.
Seamus Energy, additionally at La Quinta, was 16 underneath after a 66. The Irishman performed a five-hole stretch on the entrance 9 in six underneath, capping the run with an eagle on the par-five sixth.
“It was an fascinating spherical,” mentioned Energy, who received his first tour title on the Barbasol Championship final 12 months in Kentucky. “It was very enjoyable on the entrance there. It was a type of rounds simply sort of made every little thing I checked out for an hour and a half.”
Hudson Swafford, the 2017 champion, was at 15 underneath together with Harry Higgs and Lanto Griffin.
Swafford birdied 4 of his final 5 holes on the Stadium Course, the location of the ultimate spherical.
“I used to be actually affected person,” Swafford mentioned. “I gave myself quite a lot of seems, despite the fact that it performed actually robust early. I imply the wind, I’m not going to say it’s laid down, nevertheless it was blowing early fairly good.”
Griffin had a 69 at La Quinta. He’s making his first begin of the 12 months after injuring his again carrying his canine and withdrawing from the Sony Open final week in Hawaii.
“It’s feeling so much higher than I assumed it could, and I’m enjoying so much higher than I assumed I might,” Griffin mentioned. “So, it’s been a extremely enjoyable week.”
Higgs shot a 67 on the Stadium structure within the first group off the primary tee.
Cantlay, a stroke forward getting into the day, had an even-par 72 on the Stadium Course to drop 4 strokes again.
Attempting to win for the third time in 4 begins, the previous Anaheim Servite Excessive and UCLA participant had 4 birdies and 4 bogeys. Final 12 months within the desert, he closed with a Stadium-record 61 to complete a stroke behind winner Si Woo Kim.
Prime-ranked Jon Rahm shot a 67 on the Stadium Course to get to 13 underneath. The 2018 winner completed with a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-four 18th.
Defending champion Kim was at 11 underneath after a 69 on the Stadium Course.
Event host Phil Mickelson tied for one hundred and fiftieth within the 156-man area, taking pictures 78-73-72 and failing to advance to the ultimate spherical.
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