At the Baycurrent Classic in Japan, three Americans share the lead at 13 under par heading into the final round at Yokahama Country Club. Michael Brennan, Zach Bauchou, and Jacob Bridgeman each sit atop the leaderboard after 54 holes, with five players just one stroke behind.
Brennan made the biggest move on Saturday, shooting a 6-under 65 that tied for the day’s lowest score. He recovered well from a double-bogey on the 18th hole in the second round, which had lingered in his mind for over an hour afterward. “I was honestly maybe an hour, hour and a half after the [second] round still thinking about the double. It kind of eats at you a little bit,” Brennan said. “But eventually I felt like I got past it … there’s a lot of golf left and I’m able to come back from it.”
The 24-year-old, who won the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship on a sponsor exemption and earned a direct promotion to the PGA Tour, has since added a 2026 Wyndham Championship victory to his record. Brennan credited his iron play and putting for his strong Saturday performance. “Been hitting my irons really well. Had a couple 7-iron plus irons that I’ve hit pretty tight and made some birdies from that distance, which is always nice to do. I feel like you’re stealing one when you do that. Hit some good putts, rolling it really nicely, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Brennan is playing in Japan for the first time and described the experience as “amazing,” praising the fans’ politeness and support. He said winning the Baycurrent Classic would mean a lot to him.
Jacob Bridgeman has held at least a share of the lead throughout the week after opening with an 8-under 63 on Thursday. On Saturday, he carded a 2-under 66, despite bogeys at 16 and 18 that dropped him back into a tie for first. Bridgeman acknowledged he didn’t feel at his best on the greens, struggling with putt speed and facing several long comebacks.
“I’m kind of pleased that I shot 2 under, I feel like I didn’t play very good today,” Bridgeman said. “From the start I kind of had some issues with some speed on putts and had a lot of longer comebacks, so that will be kind of a point of emphasis tomorrow trying to be a little more conservative and focus on my speed on some of those putts.” The 26-year-old hopes to sharpen his focus for Sunday but said he felt no pressure despite what he described as an “off day.”
Bridgeman is aiming for his third PGA Tour victory and second in three weeks after winning the Biltmore Championship Asheville. He said he feels comfortable in contention and expects to improve his game on Sunday.
Zach Bauchou, 30, is the third American sharing the lead. Unlike Brennan and Bridgeman, Bauchou is a rookie on the PGA Tour, making his first appearance in the final group this season. His rounds of 69, 64, and 67 have put him in position to seek his first Tour win.
“Very excited,” Bauchou said. “I haven’t had that many chances to win obviously this year … I just feel like my game has been pretty solid all year. The weeks I’ve driven it well, I haven’t hit my irons that well, and the weeks that I’ve hit my irons that well, I haven’t driven it that well. But this week I’ve driven the ball pretty well, which is important out here because the fairways are pretty narrow, and then I’ve hit a lot of short iron shots. So it’s matched up pretty nice, which is kind of what you have to do to have a chance to win. Definitely excited for that.”
Five players trail the leaders by a single stroke at 12 under par. Former Masters champion Adam Scott, Justin Thomas, Keith Mitchell, Stephan Jaeger, and Jordan Smith make up the group chasing the leaders.
Thomas, a 16-time PGA Tour winner, has recovered well from back surgery that sidelined him until March. He missed the cut in his first start of the year but has made every weekend since. The 33-year-old American was a key player in the U.S. Presidents Cup victory two weeks ago in Chicago, but he has yet to claim a win in 2026. Thomas has finished runner-up twice at the Baycurrent Classic and will be keen to add a title in Japan with a strong final round.
The final round at Yokahama Country Club promises a tight battle, with three Americans tied at 13 under and a cluster of top players just behind. The 2026 Baycurrent Classic concludes Sunday.
According to Yahoo Sports.
