Two-time champion Hideki Matsuyama is on the verge of a third title at the Phoenix Open golf championships, holding a one stroke lead over a horde of chasing pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 33-year-old Japanese carded a 3-under round to push his total to 13 under par. more than a dozen players are within two shots of Matsuyama as he hold the slender one-shot advantage heading into the final round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overnight leader Ryo HIsatsune is among the players one stroke adrift, a group that includes Maverick McNealy, Nicolai H\u00f8jgaard and Kim Si Woo all tied for second at 12 under. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A bunch of nine players are a further shot adrift, ensuring an intriguing final round to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Matusyama, seeking to join three-time winners Mark Calcavecchia, Gene Littler, Phil Mickelson and Arnold Palmer opened with three birdies and two bogeys in round three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But just as things seems to be unravelling, Matsuyama steadied himself, playing the remaining holes two under, including nine pars and two more birdies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Playing alongside fellow countryman in round three, Hisatsune bogeyed the last hole for a 1-under 70.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As for McNealy, he fired in three birdies in four holes from Nos. 11 to 14. He\u2019s seeking just his second PGA Tour victory, his lone win coming at the 2024 RSM Classic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
H\u00f8jgaard birdied five of his final six holes for a 6-under 65, while twin brother, Rasmus is at T11 and nine under, with five birdies in seven holes en route to a 5-under 66.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Si Woo, who is also at T2 leads the field in Driving Accuracy (34 of 42) and Proximity (33\u20192\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 U.S. Open champion is also in the mix after back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15, only to double-bogey the raucous 16th before rebounding with a birdie at 17. Fitzpatrick finished the day at 11 under\u2014just two shots off the lead\u2014after a closing bogey on 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Viktor Hovland, who returned to the Phoenix Open after a two-year absence, put together his best round of the week. The 28-year-old Norwegian fired a 6-under round through 14 holes on Saturday, ultimately reaching 9 under overall. Hovland seemed to relish the lively atmosphere, te<\/p>\n\n\n\n
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is T16 at 8-under and trails by five following a third-round 67. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scheffler nearly missed the weekend after a 2-over 73 on Thursday but bounced back with a 65 in round two and kept the momentum on Saturday, carding a 67. Scheffler won his first Phoenix Open in 2022, after trailing by nine shots after 36 holes an cannot be discounted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Third-Round Leaderboard<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Two-time champion Hideki Matsuyama is on the verge of a third title at the Phoenix Open golf championships,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[58],"class_list":["post-9154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","tag-golf"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tPos.<\/strong><\/td> Player<\/strong><\/td> R1<\/strong><\/td> R2<\/strong><\/td> R3<\/strong><\/td> Total<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> 1<\/td> Hideki Matsuyama<\/td> 68<\/td> 64<\/td> 68<\/td> 200 (-13)<\/td><\/tr> T2<\/td> Nicolai H\u00f8jgaard<\/td> 66<\/td> 70<\/td> 65<\/td> 201 (-12)<\/td><\/tr> T2<\/td> Maverick McNealy<\/td> 67<\/td> 69<\/td> 65<\/td> 201 (-12)<\/td><\/tr> T2<\/td> Si Woo Kim<\/td> 73<\/td> 62<\/td> 66<\/td> 201 (-12)<\/td><\/tr> T2<\/td> Ryo Hisatsune<\/td> 68<\/td> 63<\/td> 70<\/td> 201 (-12)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"