The conditions were ripe for the picking at Albany in the third round of the 2022 Hero World Challenge. With players jockeying for position for much of the day, it was the overnight leader Viktor Hovland who ultimately made the biggest of moves. Carding 10 birdies against two bogeys, the world No. 12 enjoyed the round of the tournament, signing for an 8-under 64 to sit at 13 under and extend his lead to three strokes.

“It was great, I just kept making birdies,” said Hovland. “It was weird. Midway through the round I made a lot and it didn’t really feel like I had made that many. I kind of just kept playing golf and kept making putts. I stood on the 18th hole 9 under par. That was pretty sweet.”

Hovland was the beneficiary of some luck as well; players played the ball down for the first time all week. With Cameron Young, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas and many more experiencing noticeable mud on their golf balls throughout their rounds, Hovland was able to avoid such fate.

The result for Hovland is a three-stroke lead as he attempts to successfully defend his crown from a year ago. Proving to be capable in this setting, the 25-year-old has already gone back-to-back on the PGA Tour — the 2020 and 2021 World Wide Technology Championship — and looks prime to do so once again.

The leader

1. Viktor Hovland (-13)

Entering the third round with a one-stroke lead, Hovland saw himself drift as many as two strokes behind during his front nine. Riding six back-nine birdies to the round of the tournament, he is now in an enviable spot three clear of the field. Crediting his putting and the calm conditions for the strong play, if the wind continues to lie down on Sunday, another low round could be in store.

“I kind of putted terrible the first two days, but I attribute that a lot to the wind,” said Hovland. “My strengths are really feeling the slope with the feet and when it starts blowing 30 mph, it’s hard to feel balanced enough to feel some of the nuances. Then as well, you have to play with the wind, so it was a lot easier today when it wasn’t as windy and I started everything on line and just felt like I was going to make everything.”

Other contenders

2. Scottie Scheffler (-10)

T3. Justin Thomas, Cameron Young (-8)

T5. Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele (-7)

7. Jon Rahm (-4)

8. Sepp Straka (-3)

T9. Sam Burns, Tony Finau (-2)

Morikawa entered the final round a year ago with a six-stroke advantage only to implode and be tracked down by Hovland. One year later, perhaps the two-time major champion can return the favor as he will begin Sunday six off the pace set by the Norwegian. While a victory won’t mean an ascension to world No. 1 like it would have last year, it would mark his first trip to the winner’s circle in more than a year.

“Just go low,” Morikawa said of his game plan for the final round. “I’ve got to make birdies and if I just kind of get things rolling like I did at the beginning of that kind of back nine, hopefully we can just put together 18 of those and post a low number. That’s all I can do really tomorrow. Can’t control those guys.”

Tiger steals show from broadcast booth

The 15-time major champion may not be competing this week, but that doesn’t mean Tiger Woods is out of the public eye. Joining the television broadcast on Saturday, Woods spoke on his motivational level to win again, his son Charlie and even revisited the emotional 150th Open at St. Andrews.

“It all of a sudden just started hitting me that I might not be back here again as a competitor and I started to kind of tear up a little bit,” Woods said of his memorable walk up the 18th hole at the Old Course. “I said, ‘Would you just suck it up and make a birdie here?'”

2022 Hero World Challenge updated odds and picks

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook

• Viktor Hovland: 4/6
• Scottie Scheffler: 14/5
• Justin Thomas: 11-1
• Cameron Young: 16-1
• Xander Schauffele: 20-1
• Collin Morikawa: 28-1

Three strokes is not insurmountable and Hovland is well-aware of this having come back from six in 2021. The dynamic between he and Scheffler in the final pair should be interesting as they were in a similar position at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which ultimately went the way of the Texan. I think it will come down to just them two as it did last year, and the result will be the same with Hovland raising the trophy. 

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After 70 starts and a trip back to the Korn Ferry Tour, Adam Svensson is officially a winner on the PGA Tour. Emerging from a crowded leaderboard at the 2022 RSM Classic, the Canadian staked his claim on the final event of the calendar year with a flawless final round of 6-under 64 to get the better of Sahith Theegala, Brian Harman and Callum Tarren by two strokes.

“It’s not even real right now. I’m just so happy. I’ve just put so much work in and to win on the PGA Tour means everything to me,” Svensson said while attempting to hold back tears. “It’s been an up-and-down journey. I’ve had lows, I’ve had highs, but I just kept believing in myself and here I am.”

Svensson was one of many players to hold a share of the lead Sunday at Sea Island as a total of 16 players entered the final day within three strokes of the lead. Making just one birdie in his opening seven holes, it wasn’t until the middle of his round when the 28-year-old began to heat up in the chilly Georgia weather.

Adding three birdies in a four-hole stretch from holes Nos. 8-11, Svensson reached 17 under and matched the clubhouse lead set by Tarren. Unable to take advantage of the gettable par-5 15th, Svensson quickly made amends with back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 to separate himself from Theegala and Harman who were surging in the group ahead.

“I just tried to make no bogeys today. I didn’t even look at the scoreboard until 16. I just said if I make no bogeys, I am putting well, so that’s kind of what I did,” said Svensson. “I was actually feeling pretty good over them [the birdie putts on Nos. 16 and 17]. The one on 17 I didn’t think was going to go in and somehow the golf gods let in.”

Finishing the tournament at 19 under, Svensson utilized a red hot weekend performance to claim his first title on the PGA Tour. Carding 13 birdies and an eagle against just one bogey over his final 36 holes, the 28-year-old will now reap the benefits that come with a trip to the winner’s circle.

Ascending to sixth in the FedEx Cup standings, Svensson will also receive invitations into the Tournament of Champions, Players Championship, Masters and PGA Championship. For a player yet to compete in a major championship, simply put, this triumph is career changing.

“Two years ago I made a decision to give it 100%,” Svensson said. “There was no going back, I was quitting because I was going the wrong way. I’d say it was a good choice.” Grade: A+

Here is a breakdown of the rest of the leaderboard at the 2022 RSM Classic

T2. Sahith Theegala (-17): It was all setting up for Theegala’s breakthrough as he was a member of the penultimate group and thus avoided the final round pressure of bringing up the rear. Getting off to a solid start, the 24-year-old will look back to a double bogey on the par-5 seventh as his eventual downfall. Fighting back with four birdies on his back nine, Theegala shared the lead at one point before ultimately falling two strokes short of Svensson. Grade: A

T5. Cole Hammer (-15): The former standout at Texas had a rough start to his professional career. Narrowly missing out on conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour, Hammer was playing with house money this week as he gained entry into the tournament through a sponsor’s exemption. He took full advantage of the opportunity and collected the first of what should be many top-10 finishes. For his efforts, Hammer will have a place to play to begin next year as he is now firmly in the field for the Sony Open. 

“Pretty darn content with what happened out there,” Hammer said. “Yesterday I had a tough start, but fought back. Missed a few putts coming down the stretch, but gave myself a chance. Was only four back going into today, the leaderboard was jam packed and knew a good round would go a long way in some tough conditions. I’m just so proud of the way that I fought and battled out there. It gives me a lot of confidence moving forward and leaves a great taste in my mouth going to the offseason.” Grade: A

T5. Joel Dahmen (-15): The 2022-23 season marks the final campaign Dahmen will be fully exempt on the PGA Tour for his victory at the 2021 Corales Championship. With added motivation and pressure to play well, Dahmen did just that throughout the entirety of the swing season. With his T5 result at the RSM Classic, he ended his fall with three straight top-10 finishes and inside the top 20 of the FedEx Cup standings.

“I was already in a pretty good position, I was way ahead of the game, I guess, but to gather more points today was huge,” Dahmen said. “You never want to take weeks off because you always feel like you’re falling behind, but with the good finish today it will be easier to take time off.” Grade: A

T5. Seamus Power (-15): It is not Rory McIlroy, but rather Power who will enter 2023 atop the FedEx Cup standings. Winning the Bermuda Championship and adding close calls at Mayakoba and now Sea Island, the Irishman put himself squarely on the radar of captain Luke Donald for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome while rising to the top of the PGA Tour season-long race. Impressive as it may be, moving forward it will be interesting to see if Power can begin to contend in elevated events where the competition is much steeper. Grade: A-

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Sweden’s Simon Forsström will take a two-shot lead over England’s Daniel Brown into the sixth and last round of Final Stage DP World Tour Qualifying School, which is being held at INFINITUM in Spain.

Forsström, who has led since the third round, and led by two after the fourth round, carded six birdies in his five-under-par 66 on day five to move to 26 under par for 90 holes.

The 33-year-old is in a fantastic position heading into the final round, with the top 25 and ties earning DP World Tour playing privileges.

“I’m very pleased with today because I played solid and made some putts,” he said. “My ball striking wasn’t as good as the previous rounds, but I still gave myself a lot of chances to make birdies. I’m probably feeling less pressure being at the top heading into the final round this week because I know I just need to finish in the top 25, but I just need to keep playing well tomorrow.”

Portugal’s Pedro Figueiredo signed for a seven-under 64 to move into a tie for third on 22 under, alongside four-time DP World Tour winner Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

A host of players are still in the hunt for top tier playing privileges with 18 holes remaining, including Spaniard Alejandro Del Rey, who sits in a tie for 20th on 16 under par. The 24-year-old is determined to get the job done this week after narrowly missing out on his DP World Tour card at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final just over a week ago.

“It was very tough to come down here after the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final,” he said. “It was a tough week after a good year and I was disappointed not to finish it off. I  was feeling a bit down on myself and I didn’t have time to really process what happened that week, so it has been more mental than physical for me. It would mean everything for me to earn a DP World Tour card because it is something I had in mind the whole year, especially after winning on the Challenge Tour. I would love to go out there and play against the best in the world.”

Those currently hovering around the 25th placed-mark include the English sextet of Sam Hutsby (T20th), David Horsey (T24th), OJ Russell (T24th), Garrick Porteous (T28th), Marco Penge (T28th) and Ross McGowan (T31st). All will be hoping for strong finishes to the 108-hole marathon, the final round of which gets under way at at 9am local time tomorrow (Wednesday), with Forsström teeing it up in the final group alongside Brown and Figueiredo at 11.06am.

One of the most interesting form turnarounds this week has come from Germany’s Nick Bachem, who opened his campaign with a four-over-par 76, and then followed it up with a 10-under par 61 – fully 15 shots better than his previous round. He currently lies in tied 12th place on -18.

For the current leaderboard from Qualifying School, click here.

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This year’s Trilby Tour comeback season culminated in a dramatic finale at Dundonald Links in Scotland crowning a successful return for the iconic competition.

In its first season under the ownership of Darwin Escapes, the 2022 edition of the Trilby Tour saw both male and female golfers compete together in the Grand Final at the prestigious Ayrshire venue. Competitors from across the country battled it out in tough conditions on the par-72 course; eventual Champion Golfer Andrew Corssen, from Northshore, needed a stunning three-under-par score of 39 points to top a high-quality field. Wendy Allen earned the highest ladies’ score of the final with a 31-point total.

Corssen, the first Trilby Tour Champion Golfer of the Darwin Escapes era, said: “It hasn’t quite sunk in yet, because we were the first group out. I’ve been patiently waiting and now I’m just overwhelmed.”

The Grand Final saw men and women compete together for the first time in the competition’s 15-year history, with TV cameras on hand to cover the action for broadcast on Sky Sports Golf, hosted by presenter Sarah Stirk, from November 14.

Serving as the climax of an action-packed tour schedule, the final featured amateur golfers from all four qualifying events held over the summer at Darwin Escapes venues – The Springs Resort & Golf Club in Oxfordshire, Dundonald Links in Scotland, Kilnwick Percy Resort & Golf Club in Yorkshire and Carus Green Golf Club in Cumbria.

Ashley Pheasant, Head of Golf for Darwin Escapes, said: “We’ve worked hard to bring this much-loved competition back and make it better than ever, so we’re thrilled with how the Trilby Tour’s first revitalised season has unfolded. The weather was challenging on Monday, but Dundonald Links plays perfectly in any conditions and the quality of golf was excellent too. It’s also great to see male and female golfers competing together in the Trilby Tour for the first time.”

Sarah Stirk, who covered the event for Sky Sports Golf, said: “The whole Trilby Tour has really been elevated in 2022 and it was fantastic to see the culmination of a great year at the final at Dundonald Links.” There was a real sense of camaraderie between all competitors, and it was brilliant to see female golfers competing alongside the men. I’ve been lucky to interview the world’s top golfers over the last few years with Sky, but it was very special to speak to the winner Andrew Corssen about his victory and see him get so emotional. It was a special day in Scotland and I can’t wait to watch the Trilby Tour grow even further in 2023.”

The Trilby Tour will return in 2023, with an extended schedule and dates to be announced in December. In addition to the Trilby Tour trophy and an array of exceptional golfing equipment, Corssen has won the right to return for the 2023 Grand Final and defend his crown without needing to play any qualifying events.

To find out how you can play in the 2023 tournament, visit www.trilbytour.co.uk.

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3-putts are the bane of an amateur’s existence. Even with accurate approach shots, the putting green is where it falls apart for casual golfers.

This is due to poor alignment and speed control. This issue prompted me to compile a list of practical lag putting drills to improve your putts per round record.

The drills listed below are ideal for successfully navigating enormous greens. This allows you to confidently get your ball to within a few feet for a 2-putt tap-in. If you hit the green in regulation, that gives you an easy par.

In addition, these exercises improve your alignment to help you judge breaks on longer putts.

1. Measuring Tape (The longer the putt, the longer the backstroke)

When I started playing golf, I was told that the strength of my putt depended on my follow-through and not the backswing. As a result, I took the putter back the same distance for every putt, causing me to leave longer putts short of the cup.

It did not take me long to recognize this flaw, and I adjusted the backstroke accordingly. My coach employed a measuring tape and helped me mark the required backswing length for each distance. Over time, it became like second nature to send the putter head back the desired span for a 5, 10, 20, or even 40-foot putt.

How To Do The Measuring Tape Drill

Pick a target, and set up three balls each 5, 10, 20, 40, and 60 feet from the cup. Next, extend the measuring tape to 30-inches, and lock it. This measurement covers the length of your stroke for the different distances.

Roll putts from 5 feet, and get a friend to mark the top of your back putting-stroke on the measuring tape. Record the distance for future reference. Proceed to strike 10-footers and follow the same procedure. Follow this up with 20, 40, and 60-feet putts.

Once your backstroke lengths are determined, return to the 20-foot marker, and take out the measuring tape again. Lock it on the measurement of your backstroke to guide you. This helps you produce the required launch on your takeaway for optimal distance control.

2. Feel The Speed

I saw Phil Mickelson run through this putting drill, which helps you gain a better feel for long putts. This trains you to induce a desirable backstroke length and optimal power on the downstroke for improved speed control:

Phil suggests that you produce the same quantity of energy on your follow-through for each shot. This adds an element of consistency to your strokes. The only variable is the length of your backstroke.

How To Do The Feel The Speed Drill

Lefty does this drill from 40, 50, and 60 feet. Now, as a professional, the greens he putts on are substantially longer than the ones you and I are accustomed to. Therefore, I suggest starting at 20 feet before progressing to 40 and 50 feet.

Place 5 balls at each distance mark, and hit putts to your target. I recommend identifying a spot on the green rather than a specific hole for this exercise. Repeat the task from that range if you do not card a 100% success rate. After succeeding from 20 feet, move on to 40 and finally, 50 feet.

3. Manilla Folder

Long straight putts are difficult to judge as is. However, it enhances the challenge of speed control when you add a downhill slope to the equation. Insufficient pace leaves you with a downhill second putt, risking a bogey.

Conversely, the excess pace could send your ball hurtling to the fringe of the green. You want the ball to trickle down to the cup, leaving you with a simple tap-in for par. The manilla folder drill helps you judge speed precisely.

The idea is to stop the ball on the folder as if it were the top of a slope. Gravity takes over from this point and guides the ball towards the flagstick.

How To Do The Manilla Folder Drill

Identify a point on the green to place the folder, and then measure at 20, 40, and 50-feet intervals. Set 5 balls up on each mark and commence from 20 feet away. Produce 5 successful lag putts that stop on the folder before moving onto the 40-foot setup.

4. Gate Putting Drill (Accuracy)

The first 3 drills revolved around vital speed control. But, if your putter face is not square through impact, it sends your ball off line from the beginning. Therefore, you stand no chance of sinking your putt. The gate putting drill encourages you to square the putter face up at contact to send your ball on your intended line.

Tiger Woods applied this drill to his warm-up routine on the practice green. He placed two tees parallel to each other, approximately 2-inches in front, forming a gate marginally wider than his putter head. He aimed to send the ball through the gate to induce a straight roll.

As a right-hand golfer, he would pull the ball left of the cup if his putter face was closed at impact. On the contrary, his ball would miss right if he left the face open at contact.

How To Do The Gate Putting Drill

Insert two tees into the ground 2 inches ahead of your golf ball. The tees should sit parallel to one another, forming a gate structure. Employ this practice routine 20, 40, and 50 feet away from the hole, working on your accuracy from that distance.

Your mission is to get the ball to within a radius of 3 feet of the hole, ensuring a tap-in 2-putt.

5. Judge The Speed Of The Greens

The challenge amateurs have with lag putting is determining the quantity of force to strike the golf ball with. I recommend employing this putting practice drill in your pre-round preparation. It gives you a feel for the layout of the greens and what you can expect for that day.

Instead of picking a specific hole on the green, putt from one end to the other, watching the break and speed of your roll. If your ball flies off the other side of the green, you need to dial the pace down. Contrarily, short putts require extra oomph to get the ball across the dancefloor.

How To Do The Judge The Speed Drill

Place 5 golf balls on one end of the green, and putt the ball to a designated target on the other side. Stroke the 5 balls and pay attention to the consistency of the roll and the break. The aim is to stop the ball within a 3-feet radius of your target for optimal distance control.

6. In The Zone

In the Zone is one of my best putting drills that adds purpose to your training routine. It gets you into the mindset of stopping your first putts within a 3-feet radius around the cup. However, it also encourages a confident stroke to reduce your risk of leaving a putt short.

I like this drill because it helps you determine your progress by scoring each putt. Your overall mission is to score as many strokes under par as possible, putting from different distances.

Ultimately, this exercise is built to promote confident putts that roll past the hole rather than being left short.

How To Do In The Zone

Grab an alignment stick and position it 3 feet past the hole, then measure intervals of 20, 40, and 50 feet from the flag. Next, place 5 balls at each interval, and prepare to putt.

Start with the closest 5-balls. Every time you sink a putt, it counts as a birdie. But, if you leave it short or blast it further than 3-feet past the cup, it results in a bogey. Tally up your score from the first distance and proceed to the 40-foot mark, and finally, try your luck from 50 feet out.

Once you have putt all your balls, count your overall score. Then repeat the drill to try to improve your personal best score.

7. Leave It Below The Hole

As an amateur, you never want to leave yourself a downhill tester for par. There are too many factors to consider that can cause you to miss the putt and card a bogey. That is why you want your second putt uphill whenever possible.

It is easier to hit a firm, uphill putt than judge the distance of a rapid downhill roll. The leave it below the hole drill helps you judge your strikes to perfection to trickle the ball down to the hole for an easy tap-in.

How To Do Leave It Below The Hole

Hire the services of your trusted alignment stick and place it 3-feet past the cup. Sit 5 balls down on the green at the 20, 40, and 50-foot mark, and stroke the ball. The idea is to stop your golf ball between the cup and the alignment stick, encouraging an easy 2-putt from far out.

You must not progress to the 40-foot mark until all 5-balls are 3-feet below the cup. You must possess a perfect record before continuing.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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The floodgates were always going to open for Patrick Cantlay ,and on Saturday they did just that. The 2017 Shriners Children’s Open champion catapulted his name to the top of the leaderboard with an exquisite third round of 11-under 60, leapfrogging his counterparts in the process. Good for a share of the course record and a share of the 54-hole lead, the Californian is now in prime position to notch his ninth career victory on the PGA Tour five years after capturing his first on these very grounds.

While unable to make birdie on his final hole to become the 13th member of the illustrious sub-60 club on the PGA Tour, Cantlay’s day was still indelible. The 30-year-old was as solid as can be, not once finding the rough and averaging a proximity of 21 feet with his approach shots. 

His lone missed green in regulation came when his ball settled on the fringe of the par-3 8th, and if not for a so-so day with the putter, Cantlay’s 60 could have easily surpassed Jim Furyk’s 58. Connecting on only a single effort from outside 10 feet, the one putt Cantlay may want to have back is his 17-foot eagle chance on the par-5 16th that came a couple revolutions short of dropping.

Despite the spotlight rightfully settling on Cantlay, one cannot lose sight of the Energizer Bunny that is Tom Kim. Without a birdie on his back nine on Friday, the 20-year-old more than made amends on Saturday with six on his inward half. Making four straight birdies from Nos. 13-16, the South Korean was able to keep pace with the very American he disarmed on Day 3 of the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club.

Alongside Cantlay, the pair possess a three-stroke margin over their nearest pursuers, setting up for a potential duel between the unlikely foes. Opposite in demeanor and opposite in skillset, the primary focus of the two will be the same in the final round in Las Vegas: Win.

The leaders

1. Patrick Cantlay, Tom Kim (-19)

The betting favorite coming into the week, Cantlay has played the part through 54 holes at TPC Summerlin. Capturing his first victory here in 2017, he has since added finishes of 2nd-2nd-T8 to his Shriners Children’s Open résumé and looks well on his way to adding to his stellar history. 

With a near flawless track record on these grounds, it was surprising to hear Cantlay critical of the conditions after his second round on Friday. Emphasizing the need to hit his approach shots closers as the new greens settle, Cantlay did just that on Saturday and led the field in strokes gained tee-to-green. 

“[Sunday will be the] Same game plan as the first three days, and it’s going to take a low one again tomorrow,” said Cantlay. “This golf course yields low scores, and I expect the same tomorrow. Everyone will be gunning for me, and I’ve got to shoot a low one.”

Other contenders

T3. Matthew NeSmith, Mito Pereira (-16)

T5. Sungjae Im, S.H. Kim (-15)

T7. Aaron Rai, J.T. Poston, Adam Hadwin, Si Woo Kim, Robby Shelton (-14)

Im, the defending champion of this event, put together a middling first couple rounds, but much like Cantlay, exploded on Saturday. Signing for an 8-under 63, the two-time winner on the PGA Tour will look to add a third trophy to his mantle tomorrow. Im memorably carded a 9-under 62 to win by four strokes a season ago at TPC Summerlin, and given the play of Cantlay and Co., something similar may be needed again.

“It would be great meaning to me, back-to-back winning,” Im said. “I know it’s really difficult to win back to back, but I’ve got one more day. Today I didn’t think about any winning for tomorrow, I just clean and play without thinking about winning.”

Adam Hadwin making a habit of fronting the tab

Hopefully the boys will not be making their way down to the strip, because if so, Adam Hadwin’s tab could run wild. The Canadian connected for a hole-in-one late in his third round on the par-3 14th. Hadwin is no stranger to making aces on the PGA Tour as he made one four months ago at the Memorial and celebrated in memorable fashion. This shot was just as impressive despite the celebration being a bit more tame.

“It’s a good pin on the back right. I had to take some off a pitching wedge, and just kind of held it up there nicely,” said Hadwin. “It took off on a perfect line. Obviously when it lands, you never quite know, but it was on a perfect line, and I think it was going to be close regardless. So it’s a bonus to drop in.”

2022 Shriners Children’s Open updated odds and picks

• Patrick Cantlay: 11/10
• Tom Kim: 7/5
• Sungjae Im: 20-1
• Mito Pereira: 20-1
• Matthew NeSmith: 20-1
• S.H. Kim: 55-1
• Si Woo Kim: 80-1
• Adam Hadwin: 90-1

Earlier in the week, Cantlay was pegged as a player to win five times in the 2022-23 season, and his play through 54 holes doesn’t suggest otherwise. He has been exquisite off the tee, and his iron play followed suit in his memorable round on Saturday. With his ball-striking in sync, Cantlay has not needed to lean on his biggest weapon (the putter), which makes him all the more dangerous to raise the trophy on Sunday.

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Italy’s Guido Migliozzi won the French Open by a single shot after making a stunning birdie at the final hole courtesy of a majestic high-risk approach to the the 18th green at Le Golf National in Paris.

The 25-year-old was in supreme form all day the 2018 Ryder Cup venue, making nine birdies  – including a run of five in succession from the sixth – without a single dropped shot. He saved the best until last when, tied for the lead and staring down an 18th hole, Migliozzi cut a courageous faded five-iron into the famous final green which came within inches of finding the cup for an incredible eagle two. He knocked in the five-foot putt for the first of only two birdies at the final hole all day, equalling the course record of 62 for a 16 under total.

Rasmus Højgaard, who had led the tournament after each of the opening three rounds – and was six shots clear after 36 holes – finished a shot back on 15 under par after a three-under 68, while Paul Barjon finished the highest Frenchman as he shared third place with Thomas Pieters and George Coetzee on 11 under.

Migliozzi, whose previous to Tour wins came in 2019, said:  “It’s been a long, long road to get here from those wins three years ago. I played very solid last year and went very close to a win, so I came into this season with lots of high expectations. But it has been tough and I’ve not be playing great. Then I started to practice in another way, I’ve worked really hard, and here I am now holding a trophy. The second shot at 18 was incredible. My caddie was not happy, as it was not the safe play, but I felt that it was worth a try and luckily for me, it paid off.”

He added: “My main goal for the next year is to qualify for the Ryder Cup in Rome. To present Europe in my home country would be a dream, so we’ll keep pushing on.”

Højgaard, whose big 36-hole lead was wiped out by a costly quintuple bogey on the par-three second hole on Saturday, said: “Obviously there’s a lot of good stuff out there. it was a few silly mistakes over the last two days that cost me the win this week, but I’m happy with where my golf is heading towards. I’m striking the ball well and I’m putting nice. I just have to take the positives from this week. It obviously stings a little bit at the moment, but later tonight I’ll be looking back and I’ve got a lot to be proud of, especially after what happened yesterday.”

For the final leaderboard, click here. 

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NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Justin Lower weathered the wind and birdied the 18th hole Saturday to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the season-opening Fortinet Championship.

Lower shot a 3-under 69 to get to 13 under at Silverado Resort & Spa, with his fifth birdie of the round giving him his first career 54-hole lead in his 29th start on the PGA Tour. He’s looking for his first tour victory.

Defending champion Max Homa and Danny Willett were a shot back after even-par 72s. Byeong Hun An had a 71 to get to 11 under.

While several players who went out early in the day posted low scores in good playing conditions, the course got much harder late in the day when the wind picked up to wreak havoc on the players.

Willett took several minutes on the eighth green clearing off blowing leaves just before making a birdie putt that put him briefly in the lead at 13 under.

Workers with leaf blowers came out on the next hole to keep the green clean but Willett made a double-bogey 7 after his approach shot flew past the green.

There were few birdie chances available with players happy with pars late in the day. That led to a very condensed leaderboard with eight players within three shots of the lead headed into Sunday.

An moved into a one-shot lead when he hit a solid tee shot on the par-3 15th came and then made a birdie from about 6 feet to get to 13 under. But he gave it back and more with a double bogey in the par-5 16th when his second shot got caught near the root of a tree.

That opened the door for Lower, who put his second shot on the par-5 18th just off the green and then made the short birdie putt.

It’s been quite a few weeks for Lower, who appeared to lose his tour card after three-putting the final home of the Wyndham Championship for a bogey when he only needed a par to remain in he top 125. But after more defections to the LIV Tour, Lower moved back into the top 125 and is taking advantage of it in the first tournament of the new season.

Conditions aren’t expected to be much better in the final round, which has already been altered by an ominous forecast with rain and wind. The leaders will tee off several hours earlier than scheduled with the final round featuring threesomes off split tees.

Davis Thompson and Harrison Endycott shot the low rounds of the day with 65s that left Harrison in a four-way tie for fifth place with Paul Haley II, Matt Kuchar and Adam Svensson. Endycott was a stroke behind in a four-way tie for ninth.

Endycott the first player out on the course and played as a single in his first career tournament make the cut with a birdie on the the final hole of the second round. He overcame a broken driver early in that round and was happy to have all of his clubs available Saturday.

“Definitely helps when you’ve got a driver in the bag after yesterday’s shenanigans with the cracked driver face,” he said. “This golf course is tough hitting 3-wood everywhere. So it was nice to get freed up, played some good golf today.”

Haley, who had gone 3,315 days between appearances on the tour from the 2013 Wyndham Championship and the start of this tournament, was tied with Thompson in the group at 10 under after a 66.

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