SAN FRANCISCO: Wyndham Clark, the reigning US Open champion, broke the course record at Pebble Beach on Saturday with his 12-under par third round of 60 at the PGA Tour’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Clark leads on 17-under 199 through 54 holes by a stroke from rising Swedish star Ludvig Aberg, who shot 67, with France’s Matthieu Pavon, winner at last week’s Farmers Insurance Open, third on 201 after his 66.
But with rough storms expected on Sunday and early Monday, Clark may sit atop the leaderboard for some time after his outstanding round, which went so close to a rare sub-60 score.
Clark, who had already made two eagles in his round, needed a third on the par-5 18th to finish on 59 but his 26-foot putt stopped just inches short of the hole.
The 30-year-old American, who won twice on the PGA Tour last season, also saw birdie putts on the 16th and 17th both stop just short of the hole.
“I really didn’t think about it until I got to 18 tee box and when I did, I thought oh, my gosh, it would have been really nice to have one of those last two because then I only have to birdie 18,” Clark said.
“Once I hit the fairway on 18 I knew I was going to have a chance to hopefully try to shoot that special number. I gave it my best shot. Unfortunately, I left some putts short. I’m super happy with my round. Any time you shoot 12 under anywhere you’ve got to be happy.”
The previous course record of 62 was set by Tom Kite in 1983 and matched by fellow Americans David Duval in 1997 and Patrick Cantlay in 2021 plus Austrian Matthias Schwab in 2022.
Clark got off to a flying start with an eagle on the par-5 second, finding the green with his 200-yard approach then sinking a 39-foot putt.
He birdied the par-4 fourth and then produced his second eagle on the par-5 sixth, superbly draining a 42-foot putt.
Clark, taking advantage of slow greens, then made three birdies in a row to reach the turn in 28 strokes.
The birdie streak continued on the 10th and 11th before a setback on the par-3 12th, where he made bogey after finding the greenside bunker and rough before avoiding a double-bogey with a 26-foot putt from the fringe.
The push for 59 came back into sight with birdies on the 13th and 14th before his exceptional putting fell short.
He took an aggressive approach on the final hole, where he blasted his second onto the green and although his eagle effort failed he had the compensation of the record low score on the historic course.
“To have the course record at a place like this, you don’t even dream about stuff like this, really.” said Clark.
“I didn’t even visualize the day this good. It was honestly surreal.”
Weather permitting, he will face a challenge in the final round from Aberg, who shot his second straight bogey-free round, and in-form Pavon.
Aberg shot five birdies, including on the 18th where he left a 38 foot eagle putt just short.
Pavon became the first Frenchman to win on the modern US PGA Tour last week at Torrey Pines and continued his excellent form, making eight birdies, only slightly undone with bogeys on the par-3 fifth and the par-4 eighth.
Pavon, whose first DP World Tour win came in his 185th start at the Spanish Open in October, said it was difficult to fathom his recent improvement.
“It’s just I think a combination of many things,” he said. “Got better and better since I won my tournament back in Spain six months ago, then got my PGA Tour card and now I come to America with some confidence in myself and my game. I think that’s the key.”
Australian Jason Day shot the second best round with a 63, including an eagle on the par-4 11th where he found the rough off the tee but sank his second shot from 124 yards.
Clark sets course record at Pebble Beach with superb 60
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Clark sets course record at Pebble Beach with superb 60
- Clark, taking advantage of slow greens, then made three birdies in a row to reach the turn in 28 strokes
Smylie, Uihlein tied for lead entering first fourth round in LIV Golf history
- Smash GC’s Talor Gooch is third just 1 shot behind, the closest pursuer of 17 players within 6 shots of co-leaders
RIYADH: LIV Golf enters uncharted territory on Saturday at Roshn Group LIV Golf Riyadh.
The league’s first 72-hole regular-season tournament, part of the significant format adjustments made for the 2026 season, concludes with Saturday’s fourth round at Riyadh.
New LIV Golf player Elvis Smylie of Ripper GC and original league member Peter Uihlein of RangeGoats GC are tied for the lead at 16 under. Smash GC’s Talor Gooch is just a shot back, the closest pursuer of 17 players who are within six shots of the co-leaders.
In the team competition, Torque GC — fueled by the twin 7-under 65s by Mexican Olympic teammates Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz — are at 46 under, two shots ahead of Smash, who are seeking to deliver a victory to Gooch on his debut as captain. Ripper, eyeing next week’s home tournament at LIV Golf Adelaide, are another shot back.
Had the tournament been played under the old 54-hole format, Uihlein and Smylie would have had to settle things in a playoff on Friday. But now the leaders and contenders get 18 more holes to crown a champion.
“Yes, thanks for bringing that up,” laughed Uihlein, who has appeared in all 51 LIV Golf tournaments and is seeking his first league individual title.
“I feel like 72 holes fits me a little better. If you would have told me at the beginning of the week, hey, you’d be tied for the lead after 54 and you have a chance to win, that’s where you’d want to be. I’d take it. (I’m) looking forward to the challenge tomorrow.”
Smylie, 23, who is making his first LIV Golf start after joining the all-Australian Rippers last month, had never competed in the 54-hole format but is looking to send a message to his new competitors. He said he was in “total control” of his shots during Friday’s bogey-free 7-under 65.
“Without a doubt I want to prove my worth in this league, and I want to establish myself as one of the best guys in this league,” the left-hander said. “The best way to do that is by going out and making a statement this week.”
Ancer is among the group of players now getting a fourth round to chase a LIV Golf trophy instead of having to be satisfied with a high finish. The new Torque player won his first LIV Golf individual title two years ago in the 54-hole format while playing for Fireballs GC. He welcomes the opportunity to have an extra 18 holes to claim a second title.
“I feel like 54 holes was good enough to figure out who’s playing the best golf,” said Ancer, whose 65 was highlighted by a 50-foot-plus eagle putt.
“You just feel like it’s a little bit more of a sprint, have a little bit less time for you to make mistakes and come back from them. But then playing 72 holes, you feel like if you’re a steady player, that would maybe help you rise to the top of the leaderboard.”
Two of the steadiest LIV Golf players are Gooch and Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm, who have combined to win the last three season-long Individual Championships. They have each celebrated 13 trophies — individual and team successes — and are tied for the most in league history, remaining in contention for more hardware thanks to the additional fourth round.
Gooch, who follows the rule of 67 — everything takes care of itself by shooting 67 or better — shot his third consecutive 67 as he seeks a fifth individual tournament title.
Rahm shot his second 67 of the week and is tied for fourth with Ancer, Smash GC’s Jason Kokrak and 4Aces GC’s Thomas Detry, who, like Smylie, is making his league debut in Riyadh.
Despite increased winds and rainy weather on Friday, with players expecting the tougher conditions to impact scoring, the field shot its lowest average of the week, nearly 3.5 strokes under par during a lively third-round Moving Day.
Uihlein, who opened his round with four consecutive birdies en route to a 66, said: “It didn’t feel like it was easier than yesterday, but everyone went low.
“I’m expecting it to be a shootout, but we could come out here tomorrow and it’s blowing 15, 20 again, so you never know.”
