Schauffele seizes one-shot lead in PGA Tour return at Colonial
Xander Schauffele closed with a birdie to fire a four-under par 66 and seize a one-stroke lead after Saturday’s third round of the Charles Schwab Challenge, the first PGA Tour golf event since the coronavirus shutdown.
The 26-year-old American stood on 13-under par 197 after 54 holes at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, with five rivals deadlocked behind him on 198.
SA’s Branden Grace and Americans Gary Woodland, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa and Jordan Spieth were one adrift with Americans Daniel Berger and Harold Varner on 199.
“All of us, everyone, it’s like six guys are tied for the lead,” World No 12 Schauffele, who is bidding for his fifth PGA Tour title but first since January last year, said.
“Birdies are important but bogeys are bad.
“It’s really unique because everybody is so bunched.”
World No 1 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland shot 69 to join a pack on 200 that included England’s Justin Rose, Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, Canadian Corey Conners and Americans Patrick Reed and Bryson DeChambeau.
The tournament marks the return of the US golf season after a 91-day layoff since early March due to the coronavirus pandemic and is being played without spectators.
“It really was quiet out here,” Schauffele sad.
“I prefer fans.” Schauffele has made 16 birdies and only three bogeys through the first three rounds.
“I was playing really well at home.
“I was making a ton of birdies,” Schauffele said.
“I don’t see why it should change out here.”
Schauffele, who shared second behind Tiger Woods at last year’s Masters, credited his strong start from the long break to playing practice rounds with Charley Hoffman and Phil Mickelson during the layoff.
“It knocked off a lot of the rust that was there during quarantine,” he said.
“I have to attribute it to that.”
Schauffele opened with a tap-in birdie but missed the green and a six-foot putt to bogey the par-3 fourth.
He answered with another birdie at the par-4 seventh and tap-in birdies at 10 and the par-5 11th. —