Crowded at top at Colonial
FORT WORTH, Texas — The PGA Tour went three months without playing because of the coronavirus pandemic. It took three days to show fans what they were missing, even if all they could do was watch on TV.
Eight players had at least a share of the lead at some point Saturday in the Charles Schwab Challenge, which is being played without fans, at Colonial. When the third round ended, 14 players were separated by three shots.
Xander Schauffele, who is among the growing roster of young stars in golf, finished off his six-birdie round with a 12-footer on the last hole for a 4-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round. He completed 54 holes at 13-under 197.
The six players a shot behind included Jordan Spieth, whose short game helped him navigate some early trouble and nerves. He had the lead until not making a birdie on the back nine. Still, his 2-under 68 gave him his best 54-hole position since this tournament a year ago as he tries to end a three-year winless drought.
Also a shot behind were Justin Thomas (66) and reigning U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland (66).
Rory McIlroy (1-under 69) and Justin Rose (68) were among those three shots behind. So was Patrick Reed, who shot a 7-under 63.
‘‘I don’t have a huge effect on the crowd, so not having fans isn’t the craziest thing to me,’’ Schauffele said. ‘‘It just does feel like I’m playing at home with some of my buddies. It’s quiet. You make three birdies in a row, you can kind of give yourself a pat on the back.’’
A few houses in the neighborhood put up their own hospitality tents to see limited golf, the rowdiest being behind the 16th tee and down the 15th fairway. Fans also gathered on the balcony of an apartment complex along the 14th hole.
The Schwab is the first of five tournaments in the return to golf that won’t allow spectators. Players have had three days to adjust to the lack of sound, but Sunday will be different, with everyone trying to generate their own momentum without the energy typically delivered from outside the ropes.
‘‘When you get into contention and have a chance to win a golf tournament, that adrenaline starts pumping,’’ Woodland said. ‘‘It’s been a little different. The first two days, there wasn’t too much adrenaline. There will be adrenaline going, which you have with fans or without fans. Tomorrow should be fun.’’
Spieth passed a big test but has another to come as he tries to earn his first victory since the 2017 British Open.
‘‘I feel comfortable going into tomorrow that I can shoot a good score,’’ Spieth said. “If it happens, it happens; if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. But I learned a bit about what was going on when I really felt kind of the nerves kick in today. [I’ll] hopefully compensate for that tomorrow and hit some better shots.’’