NASSAU, Bahamas — Justin Thomas was lengthy off the tee and made a number of lengthy putts on the again 9 to overhaul Scottie Scheffler with a 6-under 66 and construct a one-shot lead Saturday over golf’s greatest participant going into the ultimate spherical of the Hero World Problem.
Thomas is attempting out a 46-inch driver — a bit of greater than an inch longer than regular — that he beforehand used for observe at residence to achieve pace and size. He blasted a 361-yard drive to eight toes on the par-4 seventh gap and led the sector in driving distance.
However it was a number of lengthy putts that put him forward of Scheffler, who had a 69.
Thomas was on the verge of falling two photographs behind when he made an 18-foot par putt on the par-3 twelfth gap. On the reachable par-4 14th, he was in a nasty spot in a sandy space and will solely splash it out to just about 50 toes.
He made that one for a very unlikely birdie, whereas behind him Scheffler muffed a chip on the thirteenth gap and made his lone bogey of a windy day.
Scheffler by no means caught as much as him, lacking birdie possibilities on the reachable 14th and the par-5 fifteenth. Thomas hit his strategy to three toes for birdie on the sixteenth after a 343-yard drive. Scheffler made an 18-foot birdie putt on the sixteenth to shut inside one.
Scheffler missed birdie possibilities on the final two holes from the 10-foot and 15-foot vary, whereas Thomas missed an 8-foot birdie try on the final.
“I had a stretch at 13, 14, 15 the place I felt like I misplaced a shot or two there, however exterior of that I did loads of actually good issues immediately,” Scheffler mentioned.
Thomas hasn’t gained for the reason that 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills, and a victory at Albany Golf Membership wouldn’t depend as an official win. However the two-time main champion has made regular progress towards getting his recreation again so as.
Remaining-round tee occasions and pairings for the Hero World Problem within the Bahamas.
“I’m driving it nice. I’ve had loads of confidence with it,” Thomas mentioned of his longer driver. “I really feel like I’ve been in a position to put myself in some fairly good spots going into the inexperienced. I’m nonetheless not benefiting from a few of them as a lot as I would love, however that’s golf and we’re all the time going to say that.”
Thomas was at 17-under 199 and might be within the last group Sunday with Scheffler, who’s attempting to finish his spectacular season with a ninth title.
Tom Kim put himself within the combine, which he won’t have imagined Thursday when he was 3 over by way of six holes of the vacation event. Kim received again within the recreation with a 65 on Friday, after which adopted with 12 birdies for a 62.
He had a shot on the course document — Rickie Fowler shot 61 within the last spherical when he gained at Albany in 2017 — till Kim discovered a bunker and took two photographs to succeed in the inexperienced in making a double bogey on the par-3 seventeenth.
Even so, he was solely two photographs behind. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley (68) was 4 again.
“Really feel like I’ve been seeing indicators of enchancment, which is what you need and that’s all I can do,” Thomas mentioned. “I can’t management all people else or what’s happening, I’ve simply received to maintain taking part in nearly as good as I probably can and hope that it’s sufficient come Sunday.”