The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thomas shoots 65, stays on record pace
He matches 54-hole mark in quest for back-to-back wins.
Justin Thomas made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole Saturday for a 5-under 65 to tie the 54-hole score record on the PGA Tour and build a seven-shot lead going into the final round of the Sony Open in Honolulu.
No one has ever lost a PGA Tour event with a seven-shot lead, and Thomas has given no indication that will change.
His goal was to not drop any shots on another calm day at Waialae, and he wound up stretching his lead as he goes for a sweep of Hawaii. That last birdie putt put Thomas at 22-under 188, tying the mark Steve Stricker set at the 2010 John Deere Classic.
Thomas got into the record book with an eagle on his final hole in each of the previous two rounds at Waialae — a 59 on Thursday for the eighth sub-60 round in tour history, and the 36-hole scoring record Friday.
He had another chance on the par-5 18th until his second shot clipped a palm frond and came up well short. He pitched to just inside 15 feet below the cup, and poured in the putt.
Zach Johnson shot a 65 to keep pace, though he remained seven shots behind.
Olympic gold medalist Justin Rose (66) and Gary Woodland (68) were eight shots behind, though the 23-yearold Thomas has turned this into a one-man show with one round remaining as he tries to join Ernie Els in 2003 as the only players to win both Hawaii events on the PGA Tour.
The course remained so vulnerable that Kevin Kisner nearly produced the second 59 of the week. Kisner made a 25-foot birdie putt on the eighth hole to reach 9 under for his round. Needing an eagle to shoot 59, he drilled his tee shot on the fast fairways of Waialae, hit 8-iron to 9 feet and thought he had made it. The putt stayed to the right and burned the edge of the cup, and Kisner had to settle for a 60.
It was the lowest round of his career — but only the second-lowest round this week.
“Can’t be that upset,” Kisner said.
He went from making the cut on the number to a tie for sixth, though hardly in contention. Kisner still was nine shots out of the lead.
Thomas had only a few stressful moments, such as the par-3 seventh when his tee shot bounded down a steep still on the right into a fluffy lie. He hit a flop shot to about 12 feet and hit the putt so pure he started walking even before it dropped.
Thomas led by at least four shots the entire round. He made his first birdie with a two-putt on the par-5 ninth, drove into a greenside bunker on the par-4 10th and got another birdie and he was on his way.
European Tour: England’s Graeme Storm shot a 5-under 67 to take a three-stroke lead over second-ranked Rory McIlroy into the final round of the SA Open in Johannesburg.
Storm had five birdies and extended his bogey-free run to 41 holes. He was at 17-under 199 and in position for his second European Tour title after winning the French Open in 2007.
McIlroy, making his first start of the year, also shot 67.
Making his first appearance at the tournament since 2008, McIlroy was a stroke behind South African leaders Trevor Fisher Jr. and Keith Horne.
Diamond Resorts Invitational: PGA Tour Champions player Woody Austin remained on top in the professional competition with a 4-under 67 in Orlando, scoring 30 points under the modified Stableford scoring system. Austin followed his opening 59 with a 66 for a 73-point total.
Jimmy Butler scored 28 points in his return from a two-game absence (flu) and Dwyane Wade notched17 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter as the Bulls ended a three-game losing streak. Anthony Davis scored 36 points and had 14 rebounds and three blocks for New Orleans, which had won its last two on the road.
Devin Booker scored 39 points for the second straight game. Booker had a pair of baskets in the final minute. The Spurs’ Danny Green missed an open 3-point shot to seal the win for the Spurs. Kawhi Leonard scored 38 for the Spurs.
John Wall had 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, Bradley Beal added 20 points and Washington used a second-half spurt to beat Philadelphia. The 76ers, who had won three straight for the first time in more than three years, played without rookie star Joel Embiid (rest).
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