JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Ben Griffin moved into place for his first PGA Tour victory with one other bogey-free spherical Saturday for a 6-under 66, giving him a three-shot lead within the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Griffin received up-and-down for par on his closing three holes, the final one from a bunker to the suitable of the 18th inexperienced. He made the 6-footer to maintain his distance over Carl Yuan, who had a 67.
At stake for Griffin is a spot within the Masters, beginning the yr at Kapalua for The Sentry and maybe being frontrunner for PGA Tour rookie of the yr.
Griffin was at 20-under 296 and has not made a bogey in his final 37 holes, though he tempted destiny just a few instances on the Nation Membership of Jackson. He hit solely seven fairways and missed 4 greens, probably the most of any spherical this week.
“I received myself out of place on a holes, possibly made the incorrect choice,” Griffin stated with a smile. “However I really feel like one of many strengths of my sport is scrambling. And I had to try this on just a few holes. In any other case, I just about hit my targets all day.”
Griffin already has his PGA Tour card locked up for subsequent yr, however a victory would actually set him up for 2024 and the $20 million tournaments.
Yuan is No. 151 within the FedEx Cup. Solely the highest 125 after the FedEx Cup Fall earn full standing for 2024, and 5 tournaments stay after this week.
These proper behind Yuan know the sensation. Scott Stallings (No. 130), Henrik Norlander (No. 142) and Luke Checklist (No. 119) had been tied for third, 4 photographs behind.
Stalling matched the low rating of the third spherical, a 65 that was helped by his 50-foot pitch from simply in need of the reachable fifteenth that he sank for eagle. He gave credit score to Wesley Bryan, having watched his pitch from the tough race by the inexperienced. That made Stallings change his shot, realizing how briskly it’s within the entrance.
“I used to be going to play a totally totally different shot till I noticed how briskly his ball was as soon as it received previous the outlet,” Stallings stated. “I used to be actually making an attempt to check-spin it simply over the sting, and clearly it received tremendous fortunate stepping into. However I used to be pleased with how I executed it.”
Norlander and Checklist every shot a 68.
Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, coming off his Ryder Cup debut in Italy, lastly got here to life late in his spherical. He made 5 birdies during the last eight holes for a 66, closing the hole to 6 photographs.
Aberg is at No. 136, although his card is locked in for 2024 as a result of he completed at No. 1 within the PGA Tour College rating as a senior at Texas Tech. Amongst different issues, entering into the highest 125 would earn him a spot in The Gamers Championship.
Griffin may inform the course was yielding good scores when he teed off, and he received stepping into the suitable path shortly. He hit a tough wedge from the Bermuda tough that rolled out to 4 ft for birdie on the second gap, after which two-putted for birdie from 35 ft on the par-5 third.
After that, he made positive he stayed in entrance, including just a few 12-foot birdies and his longest putt on the thirteenth from about 25 ft.
Griffin started his rookie yr with an opportunity to win the Bermuda Championship, solely to get surpassed late within the day and tying for third.
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