Castle Rock, Colo. – Keegan Bradley had a solid performance with an 8-foot birdie putt, making it his eighth birdie of the round. Despite his strong play, he finished with a 2-under 70 on Saturday at Castle Pines. The course proved to be challenging and created various opportunities in the BMW Championship.
Adam Scott, on the other hand, encountered difficulties from the start. He hit one tee shot out-of-bounds and another into the water, resulting in a 74 for the day. Nevertheless, Scott managed to stay just one shot behind.
The day began with a minor setback for Ludvig Aberg, as he experienced a nosebleed due to the high altitude. However, he recovered quickly and nailed a remarkable 50-foot birdie putt. Aberg’s excellent performance allowed him to turn a four-shot deficit into a three-shot lead after just five holes. Despite hitting four birdies and an eagle, Aberg could only post a 71, leaving him two shots behind.
Also in contention is fellow Swede Alex Noren, who was trailing by six shots at one point. Noren finished strong with three consecutive birdies, including a phenomenal 35-foot putt across the 18th green, earning him a round of 70 to tie with Aberg.
One player worth noting is Xander Schauffele, who had an impressive turnaround. Despite starting the weekend 11 shots behind, Schauffele managed to shoot a commendable 67, even with a double bogey on his card. He now heads into Sunday’s final round trailing by four shots.
Currently leading the tournament is Keegan Bradley with a score of 12-under 204. However, he will need to fend off five other players, including Denver native and former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, in the remaining round.
Reflecting on his performance, Bradley commented, “I played some brilliant golf, but I also hit some terrible shots. I guess that’s the way it goes. But I’m proud of the way I fought back in the end.”
Bradley, Scott, and Noren’s spot in the Tour Championship at East Lake next week is not yet secured. The top 30 players will advance to the FedEx Cup finale with a chance to win the $25 million prize.
Bradley, Scott, and Noren were all ranked outside the top 40 going into the BMW Championship. While Bradley secured his spot in the 50-man field, a victory in this tournament could elevate him to No. 4. However, if he falls too far behind, he risks missing out on the top 30.
Scott and Noren also need strong finishes to secure their places in the Tour Championship.
All the players are now focused on the trophies at stake on Sunday, including the BMW Championship trophy and the prestigious trophy from the Western Golf Association, which has been running this elite tournament for 125 years.
Scott, who started the third round with a three-shot lead, faced a challenging start. His opening tee shot veered to the right, crossing over out-of-bounds posts. He had to scramble to salvage a bogey. Two holes later, he opted for an aggressive line off the tee, but the ball landed in a pond. A three-putt from 20 feet compounded his troubles, resulting in a double bogey. Scott continued to struggle, recording a bogey from a bunker on the next hole. Despite these setbacks, he remained only one shot behind and maintained his position in the final group. Reflecting on his round, Scott said, “I kind of felt like I made a mess of that, but I didn’t feel like I did much wrong. A couple of drives were just not quite right, and a three-putt, and all of a sudden I’m kind of chasing. I’m in a good spot in the end to be one back.”
Meanwhile, Bradley’s round featured only four pars, with his last one coming on the 10th hole. He experienced a roller-coaster ride of three consecutive bogeys followed by two straight birdies. A bogey from just short of the green on the par-3 16th, as well as two closing bogeys, slightly tarnished his scorecard.
In challenging conditions with relentless gusts, the 48 players in the field experienced numerous difficulties. It resulted in a total of 22 double bogeys, two triple bogeys, and one quadruple bogey. Hideki Matsuyama and Robert MacIntyre withdrew from the tournament due to lower back issues.