Davis Riley takes the lead after round three at the PGA Tour Sony Open in Hawaii. The race remains tight with title defense hopes alive.
Davis Riley Claims Lead Despite Challenging Round
After the cut, 74 players entered the weekend at -1 at the PGA Tour event in Hawaii. On the moving day, Davis Riley surged to the top of the leaderboard with numerous birdies. Despite an early bogey, the American stayed composed and delivered a mixed yet effective round, finishing with six birdies against three bogeys, including one on the final hole.
Riley commented on the tough 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 day score of -3, Riley now stands at -12 in total, heading into the final day with a two-shot lead over Chris Gotterup, Kevin Roy, and Harry Hall.
Harry Hall Moves Into Contention with Strong Round
Harry Hall had a strong Saturday, carding a -4 round to move well up the leaderboard ahead of the final day. His performance included five birdies showcasing his strong play around and on the greens, with only a single bogey on the 15th. Hall finished in the top 10 at last year’s Sony Open and might achieve even better results this time.
Title Defense and Other Contenders Remain in Reach
Defending champion Nick Taylor had to temper his ambitions on Saturday, recording an even-par round with four birdies and four bogeys. Sitting at -9 overall, Taylor slipped from the lead but remains within striking distance for a potential title defense.
Just behind him is Corey Conners, who posted a strong -5 with seven birdies and two bogeys, now at -8 after moving day. Conners found his rhythm on the back nine with a streak of four consecutive birdies from hole 9, earning the best round of the day. He welcomed the windy conditions, saying, ‘I like it when it’s windy here.’
PGA Tour Highlight: Vijay Singh Makes History Across Decades
One of the tournament’s standout stories is 62-year-old Vijay Singh making the cut at the Sony Open in his fourth different decade. Participating for the 25th time, the 2005 champion shot a -2 on Saturday to improve to -4 overall and currently stands tied for 32nd heading into the final round.