Davis Riley takes the lead after round three at the PGA Tour Sony Open in Hawaii amid a close race including defending champion Nick Taylor.
Davis Riley Takes the Lead Despite Mixed Round
After the cut, 74 players continued the weekend at -1 at the PGA Tour event in Hawaii. On Moving Day, Davis Riley surged to the top of the leaderboard with numerous birdies. Despite an early bogey, the American remained composed and posted a mixed yet effective round with six birdies against three bogeys, including one on the final hole.
Riley mentioned the challenging wind and putting conditions: ‘You have to try to make some putts on the fast greens and in the wind when you get the chance.’
With a daily score of -3, Riley now stands at -12 total, holding a two-stroke lead over his closest competitors Chris Gotterup, Kevin Roy, and Harry Hall heading into the final day.
Harry Hall Moves Into Position with Strong Round
Harry Hall had an impressive Saturday, shooting -4 to climb up the leaderboard before the final round. He made five birdies demonstrating strong play around and on the greens, with only one bogey at the 15th hole. After finishing in the Top-10 last year at the Sony Open, the Englishman looks poised for an even better result this time.
Defending Champion Nick Taylor Remains in Contention
Defending champion Nick Taylor struggled to maintain his lead on Saturday, shooting an even par with four bogeys and four birdies. Now at -9 overall, he slipped from the top spot but remains in striking distance for a possible title defense.
Close behind is Corey Conners, who posted a strong -5 with seven birdies and two bogeys, currently sitting at -8 after the Moving Day. Conners found his rhythm particularly on the back nine, starting a streak of four consecutive birdies from hole 9 and not bothered by the windy conditions: ‘I like it when it’s windy here.’
Vijay Singh Continues Decades-Long Legacy on PGA Tour
One of the tournament’s standout stories is 62-year-old Vijay Singh making the cut in his fourth different decade at the Sony Open. Participating for the 25th time, the 2005 champion shot -2 on Saturday, improving to -4 overall and currently tied for 32nd place heading into the final round.