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The American Express, round three leaderboard
-22 S-Woo Kim (Kor); -21 B Brown (US), S Scheffler (US); -20 W Clark (US), E Cole (US); -19 T Hoge (US), M McCarty (US), A Putnam (US)
Selected others: -15 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), R Fowler (US); -14 R MacIntyre (Sco), A Scott (Aus), R MacIntyre (Sco); -13 S Power (Irl); -12 J Parry (Eng)
South Korea’s Si-Woo Kim moved into a one-shot lead over Scottie Scheffler and teenager Blades Brown after the third round of the American Express in California.
Kim, who is vying to win the tournament for a second time, carded a 66 to move to the top of the leaderboard on 22 under following a round that included seven birdies and a bogey.
“Just not thinking about trying to win or trying to finish, just enjoy the round,” Kim said. “That’s my goal.”
American Scheffler, who is making his first PGA Tour appearance of the season, and 18-year-old compatriot Brown, who would become the second youngest PGA Tour event winner with victory, both went round in 68.
World number one Scheffler hit six birdies and two bogeys in his round, while Brown carded five birdies and a bogey.
“I think I did pretty good,” Scheffler said. “There’s definitely challenging aspects to playing in the wind out here. [I’ve] just got to be a little sharper tomorrow.”
Unusually, the field play across three different courses on the first three rounds and Kim’s third round was on the La Quinta Country Club course, while Scheffler and Brown were on the Pete Dye stadium course.
Three of Brown’s five birdies came on the final three holes and included him holing a 44 footer on the 18th.
“That to me is a lot of fun. I love environments like that, especially 17,” said Brown.
“There’s so many people around it, it gets your adrenaline up. And that’s what you play and practise for, right?”
He added: “Another 18 holes and we’re going to see what we can do.”
