Kevin Kisner rallied with two late birdies to shoot 2-under-par 70 and regain a one-stroke lead over Dustin Johnson, Haotong Li of China and Russell Knox of Scotland in the third round of the WGC-HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China.
Knox was the only player in the field who did not complete 54 holes, as he decided not to play the 18th hole as darkness closed in, and will have a chance to tie Kisner for the lead when he returns to play the par-5 finishing hole on Sunday morning.
“I was getting frustrated because I was hitting a lot of good shots,” said Kisner, who is seeking his first PGA Tour victory after losing in playoffs three times this year. “But I kept telling myself it was only Saturday.
“And then on 15, I chipped in and he (Knox) three-putted so there’s a two-shot swing right there. It’s going to be a dogfight tomorrow no matter what. … I hung in there and made some birdies coming in to give myself a chance to be leading.”
The 20-year-old Li, trying to become the first Chinese player to win on the PGA Tour, birdied the first four holes to kick-start a 66, while world No. 4 Johnson, who won this tournament in 2013, birdied five of seven holes through No. 8 and added two birdies coming home in a 65.
No. 2-ranked Jordan Spieth, playing for the first time since the Presidents Cup last month, surged into contention with a bogey-free 63 and was three shots back in a tie for fifth with Ross Fisher of England, whose 65 included an eagle on the 14th hole, and Patrick Reed, whose only blemish in a 68 was a double bogey 6 on the fifth hole.
Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark carded a bogey-free 66 and was another shot behind in a tie for eighth with Scott Hend of Australia, who had a 67, and Branden Grace of South Africa, who eagled the 16th hole en route to a 70.
Seventh-ranked Henrik Stenson of Sweden posted a 66 and was seven strokes down in a tie for 17th, while No. 3 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and No. 5 Rickie Fowler had 68s and were another shot behind in a tie for 23rd.
