JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith were equal at The Northern Trust on Saturday, and no one could imagine how they got there.
Smith had never shot better than 62 – twice this year on the PGA Tour, once in his home club in Brisbane, Australia – when he missed 60 laps on the PGA Tour on the 18th.
He had to settle for the course record of 11 under 60 and thought that was at least within range of the number 1 World would hold.
« Jon is playing pretty well right now so we have to try to catch up, » said Smith.
The US Open champion took four birdies in a six-hole course around the corner to regain the lead and had good chances to score. But he hit the water twice on the second and third easy holes, combined three strokes and had to collect himself on a 67.
You were at 16-under 197 and now have a day off because of Hurricane Henri. The PGA Tour made its way around and there was enough rain and dangerous wind on the edges of the storm that they decided to close Liberty National on Sunday. The last round will take place on Monday.
Since more rain and no more golf were possible, Rahm wanted the 54-hole lead. At worst, he was determined not to fall behind.
The best shots from Round 3 of The Northern Trust
Rahm didn’t find too much to complain about in his game. Thinking his 4-iron in the 13th par-5 was a flush, he started moving forward while waiting for the ball to hit the green. He noticed that his caddy didn’t move.
« It was a little higher than I expected and it seems like the wind has picked up a bit, » said Rahm. « It looked like it was so short, so it’s one of those things that happens in golf. »
He took a penalty drop, pulled his next shot into the thick grass on an embankment, and made a double Bogey.
Rahm was just to the left of the accessible par-4 16, which he thought was a soft lie. The idea was to give yourself a chance at birdie and, in the worst case, make par. But it came out hot, rolled over the green and into the water and led to the bogey.
Rahm and Smith were one shot ahead of Erik van Rooyen from South Africa, who made 10 birdies for a 62, one of four rounds with 62 or lower.
Justin Thomas (67) and Tony Finau (68) were three shots behind. Shane Lowry and Corey Conners each shot 62 and stayed in the mix.
Smith tee off about three hours ahead of the leaders and opened with five birdies on six holes, one of several good starts. However, the Australian stuck to it. He got his eighth birdie on the 13th, approached a hole-in-one on the 14th and thought of 59.
Smith barely missed an eagle putt on the 16th, hit a wedge stiff on the 17th, to hit 11 under for the round and was a birdie away from the 13th sub-60 round on the PGA Tour. His approach to the 18th was 12 feet to the right of the flag.
Rahm had an excellent par save past the 14th green, hitting it close with a short birdie on the 15th to regain some of the lead. And after his bogey on the 16th hole, he responded with another birdie on the 17th hole.
And now a rest day over. That’s not the worst scenario for Smith as he knows it’s hard to come back and try to achieve it the day after a record result. It’s not the worst for those who stay across the Hudson River in Manhattan.
« There are the worst cities to get stuck in, » said Lowry. « I’m sure I’ll find something to do. »
« If the COVID quarantine has taught us anything, it’s what we have to do locked in a room all day, » he said.
Thomas was one of several players who made a move that was stopped in their lanes. He started the back nine with three birdies on four holes, then went from par 3 14th long into an obstacle and did a double bogey. Nevertheless, he is very much in the mix.Harold Varner III. made his mistake at the worst possible time. A bad journey on the 18th was followed by a blocked driveway over the wall and into danger. He did triple bogey, had to settle for a 68 and went one shot back to ninth place, four shots back.
Varner is still in good shape to be in the top 70 in the FedEx Cup, the rise next week. More pressure is on Tom Hoge (# 108) and Keith Mitchell (# 101) who have to end up somewhere in the top 10 to keep their seasons going.
Hoge shot 67 and was with Lowry and Viktor Hovland (65) tied sixth, three shots behind. Mitchell took the triple bogey on a bad drive on the 10th. He was tied back for 11th, five.
BY Max Schreiber
BY Rex Hoggard
BY Rex Hoggard
Erik van Rooyen’s game has improved since he became a father, and now he has a chance to win a FedExCup playoff event.
With tropical storm Henri falling on Long Island, one stays Monday finish at Liberty National and plenty of time to kill on a rainy Sunday.
With the potential for a 54-hole tournament, Keith Mitchell’s position left him just in the top 70 after Saturday’s round at the Northern Trust .
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