Justin Thomas takes a one-shot lead over Scottie Scheffler into the final day of the Hero World Challenge, with Tom Kim chasing after a sensational third round.
Thomas carded a bogey-free 66 on Saturday at Albany Golf Resort to move to 17 under and one ahead of Scheffler, who is looking to defend his title and post a top-two finish at Tiger Woods’ event for a fourth consecutive year.
Scheffler posted a third-round 69 to set up a Sunday pairing with Thomas, while Kim is just two strokes back in third after briefly threatening a ’59 round’ on his way to a round-of-the-day 62.
Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley is in fourth spot and within four of the lead, while Akshay Bhatia – who played alongside Scheffler in the final group – dropped five back after a third-round 71 and into a share of fifth with Sahith Theegala.
Scheffler trails Thomas at Tiger’s event
Thomas, playing in the group behind Scheffler, opened with three pars before following a birdie at the par-four fourth with back-to-back gains from the sixth to temporarily move tied for the lead.
Scheffler also birdied the fourth and rolled in from 15 feet at the seventh to match Thomas, who took advantage of the par-five ninth to close a front-nine 32 and pull back level with the world No 1.
Justin Thomas carded six birdies in a bogey-free third round in the Bahamas
Thomas missed a six-foot chance at the par-five 11th, where Scheffler two-putted from 60 feet to pick up a shot and move back one ahead, as Kim jumped into tied-second after a sensational birdie streak.
Kim was eight off the halfway lead but followed birdies on each of his first four holes by adding four more in a five-hole stretch from the seventh, then picked up shots at the 14th and 15th to get alongside Thomas on 15 under.
Tom Kim’s 62 was four strokes better than anyone else in the field on Saturday
The Korean holed a putt from the fringe at the par-four next to go 11 under for his round and requiring a birdie-birdie finish for a ’59 round’, with Kim moving into the outright lead when Scheffler failed to save par at the 12th.
Thomas drained a putt from almost 50 feet at the 14th to move to 16 under, which gave him the outright advantage when Kim took two attempts out of a greenside bunker at the par-three 17th on his way to a double-bogey five.
Kim responded with a bunker hole-out at the par-four last to finish with a birdie, although found himself two behind when Thomas made a close-range birdie at the 16th and finished with back-to-back pars to set the clubhouse target.
Scheffler matched Thomas’ birdie at the 16th but missed chances over his closing two holes to get to 17 under, leaving him requiring a final-round comeback if he is to claim a ninth worldwide victory of 2024.
Who will win the Hero World Challenge? Watch the final round live on Sunday from 4.30pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.
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