Tony Finau has been channeling his love for Kobe Bryant all week and finds himself were Bryant often was—at the top.
Finau carded a bogey-free, 9-under-par 62 and will take a one-stroke lead over Webb Simpson into the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open on the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale https://tpc.com/scottsdale.
“I hit it a little straight off the tee today and it took the pressure off the rest of my game,” sad Finau, who has worn a No. 8 Lakers jersey to honor Bryant—who died in a helicopter accident last Sunday—each day on the 16th hole, where he nearly made a hole in one Saturday but settled for a five-foot birdie putt. “(An ace) would have been sweet with the Kobe jersey on.
“I’ve got 18 holes left, but I’m in a great position for tomorrow.”
Finau, whose only PGA Tour victory came in the 2016 Puerto Rico Open, sank a 19-foot eagle putt on the 13th hole and made seven birdies in his flawless round to post a 54-hole score of 16-under 197.
Simpson, the 2012 U.S. Open champion, was tied for the lead with Finau before making a bogey at the 17th hole in a 64 that was highlighted by a hole in one on the 196-yard 12th hole.
“I hit a perfect 7-iron (for the ace) and I couldn’t see it so I didn’t even watch, but when the crowd got excited, I knew what happened,” said Simpson, who has won five times on the PGA Tour. “I threw the ball into the crowd, but maybe I should have kept it.
“The course has been drying out every day and I love courses like that. There are a lot of guys in reach, so I need to go low tomorrow to win.”
J.B. Holmes, the 36-hole leader who has won twice at TPC Scottsdale, made two late birdies to salvage a 70 and is two shots back in a tie for third with Hudson Swafford, who posted a bogey-free 66.
Ninth-ranked Xander Schauffele of La Jolla and San Diego State had another bogey-free 66 and is one more back in a tie for fifth with Adam Long, who had yet another bogey-free 66, and Scott Piercy, who made the last of his four birdies on No. 17 in a 68.
Byeong Hun An of South Korea and the University of California totaled 70 and four strokes behind in a tie for eighth with Mark Hubbard, who had four birdies on the back nine to shoot 64, while Nate Lashley is five back in solo 10th after finishing his 69 with a bogey on the last hole.
Third-ranked Jon Rahm of Spain, the local favorite who was an All-American at nearby Arizona State, recorded a second straight 68 and is tied for 11th, while fourth-ranked Justin Thomas is tied for 21st after a 69, and defending champion Rickie Fowler of Murrieta finished at 70 and is tied for 40th.
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