After all his adventures during the third round of the RBC Heritage, Justin Thomas wasn’t complaining about where he ended up on the leader board.
He’s right there in contention.
South Korea’s Si Woo Kim shot 5-under-par 66 to move into the tournament lead Saturday as Thomas, the second-round leader, encountered rough and wet patches at Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Kim is at 15-under 198, holding a one-shot edge on Thomas and Andrew Novak going into Sunday’s final round at Harbour Town Golf Links.
Thomas figures that’s not so bad.
“When you win golf tournaments, you need to salvage under-par rounds when you don’t have your best stuff,” he said. “Like I said, I played well. … I just fought and tried to stay patient and then was able to salvage a score to where I’m right there.”
Kim was in a good frame of mind as well.
“I played great,” Kim said. “Only missed the last hole, so that’s not a big deal. So I play pretty much 35 holes really decent. So I’m not going to worry about the last hole.”
Thomas (69 on Saturday) and Novak (66) both own three sub-70 rounds in the tournament. Maverick McNealy (65) is fourth at 13 under.
Kim, 29, will aim for his fifth PGA Tour victory and his first in more than two years. His lead was reduced on the final hole when he had his only bogey. Meanwhile Thomas, who was in the final pairing with him, was notching a birdie.
“It was nice to see an iron shot get up there pin-high and roll that putt in there,” Thomas said.
Brian Harman (66) and England’s Tommy Fleetwood (68) are tied for fifth at 12 under.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler shot 68, moving to 11 under and a share of seventh place with Russell Henley (70).
Kim said his birdies on the first two holes were important given the circumstances.
“It has been a while to play in the final group, so it feels weird,” he said. “Then a little bit of maybe pressure.”
Thomas held a 36-hole tournament lead for the first time since 2022 — up two on Kim and Henley — but had an eventful third round that helped knock him out of the lead.
Thomas was assessed a one-stroke penalty on the second hole when he caused his ball to move in a waste bunker. Still, he ended up with a par on the 502-yard par-5.
Later, he hit out of a water hazard on No. 11 and didn’t recover as well — taking his first bogey of the round. His bogey on No. 15 dropped him three strokes behind Kim.
“I think I got a little too deep (on No. 11) and went like right under it in the water and mud and whatnot,” Thomas said. “Just kind of pushed it out. (My caddie) said I smell like a wet dog after that, so it was very nice of him.”
Then at the par-3 17th, Thomas was off the green following his tee shot but got up and down for a par.
Novak had a bogey-free round with two of his five birdies coming on par-3 holes. The 30-year-old is in contention on a weekend again, hoping some of those past experiences can pay off this time with his first PGA Tour victory.
“I’m more comfortable with it,” Novak said. “I’m not saying I’m perfect or great at it yet. I think I’ve gotten better each time. You’ve got to be a little bit more patient.”
Novak is from Raleigh, N.C., and went to college at Wofford, which is in South Carolina. He has a big following in this tournament.
“People came down, and they’re showing some support,” Novak said.
McNealy recorded his second 65 in a row, boosted by a 5-under front nine. He birdied all three par-5 holes during the round.
“Putter is back, which is great, after a short hiatus,” McNealy said. “Made a couple really good ones, maybe missed one or two that I wish I had. Overall, very happy with the round of golf.”
–Field Level Media
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