Tom Hoge, who has never won on the PGA Tour, finds himself atop the leaderboard with one round remaining at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Hoge birdied the last two holes, sinking a four-foot putt at No. 18, to shoot 6-under-par 64 and take a one-stroke lead over Patton Kizzire and Brian Harman at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu.
“I’ve been close a few times in fall the here and played well in those situations, so I just want to go out and play another solid round,” said Hoge, who regained his PGA Tour card last year by shooting 65 to tie for 23rd in the 2017 Web.com Championship. “My focus has been just get the ball in the fairway and I’ve been good with my wedges and short irons.
“To make a putt on the last hole to get back on the PGA Tour and have a job for this year was a big deal for me. I just want to build off that and my game is in a good spot. It was a lot of fun today and I’m ready to go tomorrow.”
The 28-year-old Hoge, whose only pro victory came in the 2011 Canada Cup on the PGA Tour Canada, has a 54-hole total of 16-under 194.
Kizzire, who won the OHL Classic at Mayakoba last November for his first PGA Tour victory, made a double-bogey 6 on the first hole but collected eight birdies the rest of the way en route to a 64, while third-round leader Harman had a 68.
Kyle Stanley sank a 10-foot eagle putt on the last hole to post a 65 and is two back in fourth, followed by Chris Kirk is another shot behind in fifth after a second straight 67.
Russell Knox of Scotland holed a bunker shot from 67 feet for an eagle on the last hole to cap a 67 and is four down in a tie for sixth with Ollie Schniederjans, who birdied the last hole for a 67, while Cameron Smith is one more behind in eighth following a 66.
Defending champion and second-ranked Justin Thomas had a 66 and is six behind in a tie for ninth with Webb Simpson (63), Sam Saunders (66), Brian Stuard (67) and Taylor Gooch (70).
Second-ranked Jordan Spieth shot 66 and is tied for 28th.
For complete results, visit https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.
