Xander Schauffele is one round away from becoming the first player to win what is now the Sentry Tournament of Champions in consecutive years since Geoff Ogilvy of Australia in 2009-10.
The ninth-ranked Schauffele, from La Jolla and San Diego State, shot 2-under-par 71 in the third round and took a one-stroke lead over fourth-ranked Justin Thomas going to the final round on the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort https://golfatkapalua.com outside Lahaina, Maui.
“I hate to lose and (Thomas) would probably say the same thing,” said Schauffele, who shot a course record tying 62 in the final round to win at Kapalua last year. “We both want it and we know each other’s games well. We’re pretty good friends, but we’re both competitors. We both have enough firepower.
“I want to be a dominant player in this game and my Dad says to be that guy you have to let your clubs to the talking, so that’s the path I’m trying to walk down to see how it goes.”
Thomas, who won on the Plantation Course in 2017, collected five birdies in a flawless front nine and was tied for the lead with Schauffele before making a three-putt bogey on the 17th hole en route to a 69.
“I’m not very pleased,” said Thomas, who was on the winning United States Team along with Schauffele in the Presidents Cup last month in Australia. “I felt like I really let a good one get away from me.”
Reigning U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland sank a 25-foot birdie putt on last hole to cap his own 69 and is three shots back in solo third, while third-ranked Jon Rahm of Spain totaled 70 and is four down in a tie for fourth with Kevin Kisner (68), Collin Morikawa of La Canada Flintridge and Cal (70), Matthew Wolff (71) of Agoura Hills, J.T. Poston (71), Joaquin Niemann of Chile (74) and 2016 TOC champion Patrick Reed (74).
Seventh-ranked Patrick Cantlay of Los Alamitos and UCLA is tied for 11th after a 73, while fifth-ranked Dustin Johnson, who won on the Plantation Course in 2013 and 2018, posted a 71 and is tied for 15th.
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