Thomas on threshold of lifting Sony Open title

Zach Johnson seven strokes adrift in second position

Justin Thomas is doing just about everything right at the Sony Open as he fired a bogey-free five-under 65 in the third round on Saturday to extend his lead to seven strokes.

A day after setting the USPGA Tour’s 36-hole scoring record, Justin Thomas continued to roll at the Waialae Country Club course in Honolulu.

Thomas reached 22 under 188 to equal the lowest 54hole total in PGA history.

“I felt like I managed my day really well to shoot five under,” Thomas said. “I was really happy to be bogey free. That was a big goal of mine.

“I had a couple of saves, I was putting the ball in position off the tee.”

Combine his first bogeyfree round of the tournament with a rare 59 on Thursday and a 64 on Friday and it adds up to a seemingly insurmountable seven-shot lead over fellow American Zach Johnson.

Third round:

(USA unless noted) Justin Thomas 59-64-65 Zach Johnson 69-61-65 Justin Rose (ENG) 66-64-66, Gary Woodland 64-64-68, Hudson Swafford 62-68-66

Jamie Lovemark 64-68-65, Russell Knox (SCO) 64-67-66, Kevin Kisner 70-67-60.

188 — 195 — 196 —

197 —

No player in history of PGA Tour ever lost a seven-shot lead on the final day. Johnson shot a third-round 66 to claim second place at 195.

Hudson Swafford and England’s Justin Rose each posted a 66 to tie for third place at 196 with Gary Woodland, had a 68.

Kevin Kisner completed the second-best round of the tournament, a 60, to jump from 13th to a tie for sixth at 197. Kisner is tied with Jamie Lovemark (65) and Scotland’s Russell Knox (66).

“When guys get on those steaks and you have talent like that and confidence, it is impressive,” Johnson said of Thomas.