Thomas, Scheffler set up final day battle at Hero World Challenge

Day three Hero World Challenge leader Justin Thomas of the US in action at the Albany Golf Course in the Bahamas on Saturday. Image courtesy HWC.

By Rahul Banerji

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler was forced to concede top spot on the Hero World Challenge leaderboard to fellow-American Justin Thomas, but stayed just a shot behind after Moving Day in the Bahamas on Saturday.

Thomas, who has not won in almost two and a half years, and world number one Scheffler thus set up a final day battle at the $5 million event with Korean star Joohyung ‘Tom’ Kim a further stroke behind at the Albany Golf Course.

Thomas (66-67-66) was on 17 under par 199, while Scheffler (67-64-69), was at 16 under 200 to lay the ground-work for a showdown between a player who cannot stop winning and another who is desperate to end a title drought and welcome his new-born daughter.

Hard on their heels was Kim, who won his first senior professional title on Indian soil at the Panasonic Open India in 2019 at 15 under 201 (74-65-62) having bounced back strongly from his rocky start on Thursday.

Kim, six under for the front nine, was eight under after 10 holes and was on track for a course record 59 before being halted by a double bogey in hole 17.

The Korean star however recovered with a chip-in from the bunker for birdie on 18 to finish a stroke outside Rickie Fowler’s course record 61 in 2017.

In the frame

Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley (68-67-68) held sole fourth place on 13 under 203 stroke ahead of young Indian Americans Akshay Bhatia (67-66-71) and Sahith Theegala (67-71-66) who were tied for fifth on 12 under 204.

Theegala had five birdies in his first seven holes before cooling off with a bogey on eight. He came back with birdies on 17 and 18 while Bhatia had a day off with the putter.

Said Thomas later, “I’m still not taking advantage as much as I would like, but that’s golf and we’re always going to say that.”

Scheffler felt that, overall, he had played well on Saturday. “I had a stretch at 13, 14, 15 where I felt like I lost a shot or two there, but outside of that I did a lot of really good things today,” he said later.

Kim though was the star of the day. He birdied the first four holes and added two more to turn in 6 under. A further five birdies put him line for the course record before double-bogeying the par-3 17^th, one of the two toughest holes on the course.

But a superb chip-in from the bunker on 18 saw the smile back on the cheerful Korean’s face and kept him in the hunt for a surprise result on Sunday.

Also read: Young takes early HWC lead as Theegala, Bhatia share third place