La Quinta, Calif. — Jon Rahm got off to a good start, posting a 7-under 65 on the Stadium Course at the PGA West on Saturday to share the lead with American Express tour rookie Davis Thompson.
Thompson’s eagle streak in the Southern California desert finally ended when the 23-year-old also carded 67 on the stadium course to tie with Rahm at 23-under 193. In his first two rounds, at No. 18 he was one shot behind with a 35-foot birdie he only missed a putt.
World No. 4 Rahm and Thompson, who won at Kapalua two weeks ago, make up the final group at the Stadium Course, one of the three courses that hosted the first three rounds on Sunday.
JT Poston and Christian Bezuidenhout, with 10-under 62s at the Nicklaus Tournament Course, are four shots clear of the lead. Tom Kim, Harry Higgs, Sam Burns and Taylor Montgomery are also one shot behind at 18 under par.
“There are only positives,” said Rahm, who is playing for his ninth Tour victory. “The feel was great. I hit a lot of great shots off the tee. I gave myself a lot of chances on the irons. If I want my chances of winning, I’ll have to score low again.”
Rahm came into Saturday two shots behind Thompson. He teeed off a group of seven ahead of Thompson and led with a ferocious front nine that included four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fifth. The Spanish star kept cool on the back nine with just two birdies and a three-putt bogey on the par-3 17th to cut the lead to one and end the round on par.
Thompson leveled with Rahm with a birdie on the 12th, but missed a short putt for a bogey 14.
“It’s great,” said Thompson. “I feel like I have nothing to lose in my rookie year. It’s like a freewheel. is very good, but I’m excited about the challenge and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Thompson had four birdies on the front nine.
“I felt like I held up all day and made a putt,” he said. “I got off to a great start, which always helps. The ups and downs on number 5 and 6 were big for me just to keep the momentum going. I’m really proud of myself for being patient I didn’t force anything A bad bogey on the 14th came back and birdie on the 16th.
This field includes 5 of the top 7 players in the world and 10 of the top 20 players.
Second-placed Scotty Scheffler was 17-under in a group of six, while Dylan Wu had six birdies in a row for his first nine in an 11-under-61 round at Nicklaus Course.
World No. 6 Xander Schauffele is in a group of five at 15-under, which also includes Tony Finau and Jason Day. No. 5 Patrick Cantlay and No. 7 Will Zaratris are 11 under par.
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