Thomas fights off wind, ties for lead at CJ Cup
Justin Thomas fired a 2-under 70 in windy conditions to share the lead with fellow American Scott Brown after Saturday’s third round of the CJ Cup in Jeju, South Korea.
Thomas offset a double bogey and a bogey with five birdies to reach the clubhouse at 9-under 207.
“I know for a fact I played better today than I did on Thursday when I shot a 9 under,” he said. “It’s just so hard out there. I’ve never played in a place where the wind swirls as much as it does here.”
Brown had back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 10 and 11 but recovered with two birdies on the back nine for a 71.
Anirban Lahiri of India moved into a share of third place with Australian Marc Leishman (71) after a 69 that included four birdies and a bogey.
Overnight leader Luke List struggled with the conditions and fell into a tie for eighth place after a 76. List had three bogeys on the front nine and a pair of double bogeys on the back nine.
PGA Tour Champions: Bernhard Langer matched the course record with a 9-under 63 to take a three-stroke lead in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, the first event of three in the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs.
Langer, 60, had nine birdies in his second straight bogey-free round to reach 14-under 130 on The Country Club of Virginia’s James River Course.
Vijay Singh was second after a 63.
Joe Durant (67) was 10 under, and Michael Allen (64) and Scott Verplank (66) were 9 under.
European Tour: Tournament host Sergio Garcia will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Andalucia Valderrama Masters after shooting a 3-under 68 in Sotogrande, Spain.
The Spaniard had six birdies and three bogeys to reach 8 under for the tournament, just ahead of Daniel Brooks, who shot a 7-under 64.
Joost Luiten of the Netherlands, who led after the second round, shot an even-par 71 and was two shots behind Garcia.
LPGA Tour: Eun-Hee Ji carded a 3-under 69 to open up a six-stroke lead after the third round of the Taiwan Championship in Taipei.
Ji, who shared the overnight lead with Jenny Shin, recovered from a bogey on the par-4 fifth with four birdies for a total of 10-under 206.
Lydia Ko shot a Saturday-best 68 and is tied for second with Shin at 4-under 212.