Michael Brennan moved into an ideal spot Saturday in the Wyndham Championship, tying for the lead with Beau Hossler as the duo heads into Sunday's final round. They are level at 16-under 194 for a one-shot edge entering the final round.
Brennan shot 7-under-par 63 on Saturday, posting five birdies across the final eight holes to surge into a share of the lead with Hossler. "That's the spot you want to be, you want to be in the last group coming down the stretch on Sunday," Brennan said.
The two leaders, Brennan and Hossler, are separated by just one stroke, with Brennan's lone bogey coming on the second hole before he got rolling. Hossler, who was the second-round leader, completed his round of 66, but had a tumultuous day with two late-round weather-related pauses at Sedgefield Country Club.
"It was incredibly chaotic," Hossler said. "I got off to a really poor start as far as my ball-striking. Really settled in nicely, and then I think clearly the delays ruined the momentum a bit. … just glad to make it through."
The duo is in a strong position heading into Sunday's final round, with the tournament's final spot in the FedEx Cup playoffs on the line. The top 70 golfers in the season's standings will advance to next week's playoffs.
South Korea's Tom Kim shot 63 and sits at 15 under in third place, while Alex Smalley (65) and Sweden's Alex Noren (65) are at 14 under. Davis Thompson (65) is in sixth place at 13 under.
Colombia's Nico Echavarria's 62 marked the best score of the round, allowing him to move to 11 under and climb into a tie for eighth place. "There was enough wind where it was shifting, but I'm very happy the putter got hot and hit some quality shots," Echavarria said.
The Wyndham Championship is the final tournament in the PGA Tour's regular season, and golfers need to be in the top 70 of the season's standings to advance to next week's FedEx Cup playoffs.
Brennan acknowledged the pressure of the tournament, saying, "It's really hard to stay in the present. It's easy to kind of think about the consequences of where you finish the tournament."
This weekend's performance will be crucial for several golfers, including Brooks Koepka, who needs a strong finishing spot to move into the top 70. He slumped with a 74 on Saturday and slid to 3 over in the tournament.
Defending champion Cameron Young shot 72 and is at 1 under for the tournament. Jordan Smith had a highlight even though he shot even-par 70 and remained at 11 under, notching a hole-in-one on the 16th hole.
Brennan's only PGA Tour victory came in last year's Bank of Utah Championship, while Hossler's best finish this year was a tie for third place at the Myrtle Beach Classic in May. He is still seeking his first career win on tour.
The two leaders will head into Sunday's final round with a one-shot edge, and golfers will be watching closely to see who will emerge victorious.
Source: Yahoo Sports