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Jul 31, 2023

Golf roundup

Matthew Wolff plays an approach shot during the second round of LIV Golf Greenbrier on Saturday at the The Old White at The Greenbrier in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia. Billy Horschel looks at

Matthew Wolff plays an approach shot during the second round of LIV Golf Greenbrier on Saturday at the The Old White at The Greenbrier in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia.

Billy Horschel looks at his ball as he walks off the 15th green after making a birdie putt during the third round of the Wyndham Championship on Saturday.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Matthew Wolff made enough birdies to offset a few mistakes Saturday for a 3-under 67 that gave him a share of the lead with David Puig at LIV Golf-Greenbrier.

The third and final round is wide open on the Old White course at Greenbrier Resort, with nine players separated by only two shots.

That includes former U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, one of the marquee signings for the Saudi-funded league who has yet to win in LIV Golf.

DeChambeau had a 61 and joined Richard Bland (63) and Talor Gooch (64) just one shot behind. Gooch already has three wins on LIV this year.

Puig made up a two-shot deficit on Wolff and briefly took the lead with three straight birdies on the back nine until he dropped a shot on the 13th, and Wolff birdied the 14th.

Wolff had the 54-hole lead over DeChambeau at Winged Foot in the 2020 U.S. Open until DeChambeau shot 67 on the final day to win by six shots. Wolff took time off the following year for mental health issues and says his goal Sunday is to commit to shots and accept the outcome. At stake is a $4 million payoff to the winner.

The group at 10-under 130 featured Mito Pereira (62), Brendan Steele (63), Branden Grace (64) and Harold Varner III (67).

In the team competition, Puig and Pereira led Torque to a four-shot lead over Stinger, the team of South African players.

Horschel, Glover tied in Wyndham

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Lucas Glover and Billy Horschel started the Wyndham Championship as long shots to advance to the PGA Tour postseason. Now they have reason to think about winning.

Glover had great control Saturday, hitting every fairway and missing only one green, on his way to an 8-under 62. That gave him a share of the lead with Horschel, who fought his swing toward the end and still managed a 63.

They were at 18-under 192, one shot ahead of 36-hole leader Russell Henley. He rolled in a sweeping birdie putt from just inside 30 feet on the last hole for a 65.

The Wyndham Championship is the final PGA Tour event before the lucrative postseason, and only the top 70 advance to the FedEx Cup playoffs next week in Memphis, Tennessee. That's a change from previous years, when the top 125 made the postseason.

Glover came into Sedgefield Country Club at No. 112 and without a win in more than two years. But he has been building to this point, with three finishes of sixth or better in his last four tournaments, and he put it together on a warm, sunny day that began to dry out the course.

He finished with birdies on his last two holes, a wedge that landed near the pin and settled 2 feet away on the 17th, and a 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.

Horschel, who is No. 119 in the standings, began his day under a tree right of the first fairway. He chopped out across the fairway into rough, used the contour of the green to run a wedge into 8 feet and escaped with par.

He went on to a bogey-free round and scores of 62-63 that give him a chance to extend his season, having already booked a trip to the Bahamas with his family next week.

Justin Thomas also stayed in the mix, at least for his season. He posted a 66 that moved him into a tie for 11th, and while the nine-shot deficit is likely too much ground to make up, he is on the verge of sneaking into the top 70 to extend his season.

Thomas has never missed the postseason since his rookie season in 2015. Even more is at stake this year. He is under consideration as a captain's pick for the Ryder Cup, and it would make such a choice more difficult if he doesn't have a place to play the next three weeks.

Boutier leads by 3 at Scottish Open

IRVINE, Scotland — Celine Boutier took a three-shot lead at the Women’s Scottish Open after posting a 6-under 66 in the third round on Saturday.

Boutier, who won the Évian Championship last Sunday, had eight birdies and two bogeys in her round. The 29-year-old Frenchwoman is 13 under overall.

“I feel like my expectations have definitely been higher,” Boutier said. "Like even when I miss a good shot or I make a bogey, I definitely get more annoyed. So I definitely have to keep my expectations kind of like level and not get too far ahead of myself.”

Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit (66) is tied for second with Swede Maja Stark (72).

“You learn every day when you play golf. You learn every single round, after every single shot,” Tavatanakit said. "So I’m just really having fun learning so far. And it’s links, so anything could happen. I feel like if you play good, you also need a little bit of luck, and it’s been helping me so far.”

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