GREENSBORO – Michael Brennan posted five birdies across the final eight holes to shoot 7-under-par 63 on Saturday and move into a share of the lead with Beau Hossler through three rounds of the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.
Hossler, who was the second-round leader, finally finished his round of 66 following two late-round weather-related pauses at Sedgefield Country Club.
The duo is level at 16-under 194 to co-lead by one shot entering Sunday’s final round.
Brennan’s lone bogey came on the second hole before he got rolling.
Hossler’s best finish this year was a tie for third place at the Myrtle Beach Classic in May. Still seeking his first career win on tour, he has twice been runner-up when losing in playoffs and finished second four total times.
South Korea’s Tom Kim also shot 63 and sits at 15 under in third place.
Alex Smalley (65) and Sweden’s Alex Noren (65) are at 14 under, while Davis Thompson (65) is in sixth place at 13 under.
Colombia’s Nico Echavarria’s 62 marked the best score of the round, allowing him to move to 11 under and climb into a tie for eighth place. A day earlier, he was one stroke away from missing the cut. On Saturday, his eagle on the par-5 fifth hole got him rolling in a bogey-free round.
Hossler began the round with a one-stroke lead. Nineteen golfers were within four strokes of him. Several golfers rose past Hossler on the leaderboard before he began his round.
Hossler notched five birdies during a 10-hole stretch before the momentum was halted because of a lightning delay. He was bogey-free through 15 holes before storms caused the day’s first suspension of play. He bogeyed the 16th hole upon the resumption of play.
There was another suspension prior to Hossler playing No. 18, with his tee shot going into the rough off the right side of the fairway. But he recovered for par with a 4-foot putt to maintain a share of the lead.
This is the final tournament in the PGA Tour’s regular season. Golfers need to be in the top 70 of the season’s standings to advance to next week’s FedEx Cup playoffs.
Brooks Koepka, who needs a strong finishing spot this weekend to move into the top 70, slumped with a 74 on Saturday and slid to 3 over in the tournament.
Defending champion Cameron Young, who made the cut on the number, shot 72 and is at 1 under for the tournament.
–Field Level Media