Davis Riley takes the lead after round three at the PGA Tour Sony Open in Hawaii. Close competition continues with title defense still in play.
Davis Riley takes lead despite a mixed round
Following the cut with 74 players at -1, the PGA Tour weekend in Hawaii is heating up. On Moving Day, Davis Riley climbs to the top of the leaderboard thanks to numerous birdies. Despite an early bogey, the American remained composed, posting a round with three bogeys and six birdies, including one on the final hole.
After his round, Riley commented on 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 day score of -3, Riley is now at -12 total and starts the final day with a two-shot lead over his nearest pursuers Chris Gotterup, Kevin Roy, and Harry Hall.
Harry Hall positions himself well with a strong round
Harry Hall had an impressive Saturday, shooting -4 to climb the leaderboard before the final day. His five birdies showcased strong play around and on the greens, with only one bogey on the 15th hole. Last year, Hall secured a top-10 finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii, and this time he may contend for even more.
Title defense remains in reach
Defending champion Nick Taylor had to ease back his lead ambitions on Saturday, recording four bogeys and four birdies for an even-par round. Sitting at -9 overall, he slipped from the lead but stays within striking distance heading into the final day.
Just behind Taylor is Corey Conners, who had a strong -5 round with seven birdies and two bogeys, moving to -8 overall. Conners caught fire on the back nine with four consecutive birdies starting at hole 9, posting the day’s best round. He embraced the challenging wind, saying, ‘I like it when it’s windy here.’
PGA Tour: Vijay Singh impresses across decades
Perhaps the tournament’s story is 62-year-old Vijay Singh, who made the cut in four different decades at the Sony Open. Competing for the 25th time at this event, the 2005 champion shot -2 on Saturday to move to -4 total, currently tied for 32nd going into the final day.