Tom Kim clings to a 1-shot lead over Scheffler and Bhatia in rain-delayed Travelers

Associated Press
·4-min read

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Tom Kim made enough birdies on a soft, vulnerable course to stay in front Saturday in the rain-delayed Travelers Championship, getting up-and-down for par on the last hole in near darkness for a 5-under 65 and a one-shot lead over Scottie Scheffler and Akshay Bhatia.

The tone of this pitch-and-putt day at the TPC River Highlands was set long before thunderstorms halted play for nearly three hours. Cameron Young shot 59, the 13th sub-60 round on the PGA Tour and first in nearly four years.

And then the rain made it even softer, and the wind subsided late in the evening as Kim, Scheffler and Xander Schauffele raced to beat darkness.

Scheffler, the world's No. 1 player coming off a rare pedestrian performance at the U.S. Open, was slowed by a pair of soft bogeys — his putter from fringe on No. 11, a bad drive into mangled weeds on No. 14 — and answered with four straight birdies.

“I was pretty frustrated after that bogey on 14, felt like I was putting myself out of the tournament,” Scheffler said. “So it was nice to bounce back and finish it the way I did.”

His wedge on the 18th rolled back within an inch of the cup, which he tapped in for 64. He played with Bhatia, who has two PGA Tour titles in the last 12 months. He poured in a 25-foot birdie putt to match Scheffler at 64.

Schauffele played bogey-free until the final hole when his 3-foot par putt horseshoed around the cup and left him with a 64. He was two shots back along with Sungjae Im, who made a birdie putt from some 40 feet on the final hole.

Kim, who turned 22 on Friday, is still leading a large cast of All-Stars. He was at 18-under 192 going into the final round in which 10 players were within five shots of the lead.

“It’s a stacked leaderboard," Kim said. "Out here, a five-, six-shot lead is not safe at all. So I've got to go out tomorrow and do the same game plan and execute.”

The group within five shots includes Young, who was tied for 43rd when he arrived at the course in the morning. He was 5 under through four holes — he holed out with a wedge from 142 yards on No. 3 — made another eagle on the 280-yard 15th hole with a 3-iron to 4 feet and got to 11 under with a 5-foot birdie on the 17th.

He was tied when he walked off the course and still in the mix when the round finally ended. Young didn't see this kind of round coming.

“Did exactly what I do every day coming to the golf course — get a coffee, ate, saw the physio, and went out there, warmed up,” he said. “Didn’t feel particularly awesome. I chunked a few less on the range than I did yesterday. Then, yeah, came out and just was very comfortable and things just started coming down close to the hole.”

Tee times for Sunday have been moved forward because of more storms in the forecast, meaning the course isn't likely to get any tougher. Preferred lies were in effect for the second consecutive round.

“Feels like more than ever you’re going to have to keep your head down," Schauffele said. "It's kind of been my motto — ‘Stay in my lane’ — for quite some time, and I think tomorrow it's going to hold pretty true. You can get on a run at any point on this golf course.

“(You) definitely have to earn your birdies,” he said. “But I think they’re going to be coming in bunches tomorrow.”

Five players had at least a share of the lead at some point, some of that made possible by Kim's lone mistake. He three-putted from 10 feet on the fourth hole, his 3-foot par putt not even touching the hole. But he bounced back with three birdies on the par 3s and a tough chip across the 15th green to set up an easy birdie.

He went from the fairway bunker to short of the 18th green, and his pitched rolled out to a short range for his final par to stay in front.

The final signature event of the PGA Tour season certainly looks like one with quality of players chasing — from Scheffler and Schauffele, down to Collin Morikawa, Shane Lowry, Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas.

“You're not going to separate yourself. Someone is going to play one shot better than anyone else,” Bhatia said. “We'll see what tomorrow entails. It's just going to be a good challenge.”

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest stories

  • Gareth Southgate: ‘I am the problem’

    Gareth Southgate has admitted being England’s major problem at the European Championship, plunging his future as manager in doubt beyond the tournament.

  • Georgia 2-0 Portugal: Famous win sends Georgians into Euro 2024 last-16 as England get Slovakia

    Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze score on historic day in Gelsenkirchen

  • Euro 2024: Last-16 fixtures, results, knockout schedule, group standings

    Knockout stages are now set for Euro 2024

  • England: Fans throw cups towards Gareth Southgate as Slovenia stalemate heavily booed

    Three Lions still top Group C at Euro 2024 despite another frustrating performance in Cologne

  • Transfer news LIVE! Arsenal done deal; Anselmino to Chelsea, Guiu medical; Spurs in new Ramsey bid; Man Utd

    Track all the latest deals, updates, rumours and gossip during the summer window

  • Life begins at 57 for Japanese striker King Kazu. He acknowledges 'I'm at quite an age'

    Kazuyoshi Miura was matter-of-fact about it this week when he joined Japanese club Atletico Suzuka. “I'm at quite an age," he said in a Tokyo news conference. Miura is 57, and the former Japanese international is still playing after most of his contemporaries have been out of the game for decades.

  • Son Heung-min’s father admits hitting academy player with corner flag

    The father of Son Heung-min, the Tottenham Hotspur forward, has admitted to hitting one of his South Korean football academy students with a corner flag after denying allegations of physical and verbal abuse.

  • Arsenal confirm summer transfer as newest signing reveals key reason behind move

    The Gunners have bolstered their goalkeeping ranks as they continue to plan for a bright future

  • Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo saved by stewards as fan jumps from stands at Euro 2024

    Cristiano Ronaldo was at the centre of another European Championship security scare after a fan almost landed on him jumping from the stands.

  • 2024 NBA Draft grades: First-round pick-by-pick analysis

    Here are Yahoo Sports' complete first-round draft grades.

  • France to face Belgium in last-16 at Euro 2024 as line-up takes shape

    France and Belgium, the world's second and third best teams respectively in the Fifa rankings, will meet in the last-16 at Euro 2024 next Monday in Dusseldorf after the line-up for the knockout stages was completed on Wednesday night. Georgia, who are competing at the competition for the first time, beat Portugal 2-0 to move into the last-16 where they will face Spain. "I don't have a lot of words so I will try to stay basic and say that I'm so proud of the players because what an image they hav

  • Chelsea: What Alexander Isak has said about Newcastle exit amid Blues interest

    Chelsea have reportedly made contact over a huge summer deal

  • Arsenal handed Victor Osimhen transfer boost as new update delivered

    The Gunners and Chelsea have both been strongly linked with the Nigerian international, who is expected to leave Napoli this summer

  • Socceroos pitted against Japan and Saudi Arabia in World Cup qualification

    The Socceroos face a tantalising rematch with Japan, the side that beat Australia both home and away at the same stage of qualification for the 2022 World Cup

  • Why Finns are deadly serious about hobby horsing

    A buzz of excitement crackled through the hushed arena as the rider gripped the reins of her stuffed steed.Welcome to the strangely exacting world of hobby horsing, the Finnish sport guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Immaculately-coiffed equestrians leap athletically over fences just like in horse jumping, going as fast as they can against the clock straddling their stick steeds.Things are more stately in the dressage, with riders trotting their stick horses with intricately decorated stuffed heads before the discerning eyes of the judges.Some 260 riders from 22 countries -- most women and girls aged between 10 and 20 -- turned up to compete at the 11th annual Finnish championship held in the town of Seinajoki.But despite its vast international reach, from the Arctic to Argentina, hobby horsing is a sport that dares not speak its name.- 'Insane' athleticism -Despite its soaring popularity, it is not officially recognised as a proper sport in its birthplace."We have faced so much bullying and judgement," rider Nara Arlin, 24, told AFP."We know what everyone in the hobby horsing has been through... I think that is the main thing that pulls us together."First invented in Finland more than a decade ago, hobby horsing has taken off at a gallop across the globe. "It is growing every year," said Julia Mikkonen, the chair of the Finnish hobby horse association.This year's championship was "the biggest we have had so far", she added.Beyond the whimsy, great strength and skill is required to jump the obstacles while holding the hobby horse. Some top competitors could give elite hurdlers or gymnasts a run for their money."If you jump over obstacles your hip mobility has to be absolutely insane," said Mikkonen, 20, with some fences up to 110 centimetres (3.6 feet) tall. - 10,000 enthusiasts -"Of course we are all dreaming of having a world championship one day," said Mikkonen, who estimates there are around 10,000 hobby horsers globally."I am still a bit breathless but I am happy with my performance", said 19-year-old Jojo Hanninen as she sat down after her dressage event. To succeed in the sport you have to channel your inner centaur, she said."In hobby horsing, my legs are the horse... I am both horse and human," she said. Hanninen's hobby horse is a grey called Toope, with glittery reins and pink ribbons adorning its white mane.- Welcoming community -Competitors go to great lengths with their horses -- which are also exhibited and judged -- modelling and sewing the heads and adorning them with decorations.  "Hobby horses are art," said Arlin, who makes her own.With the cheers of the crowd still ringing in her ears after an impressive show jumping round, she hailed the sport as "the best hobby ever"."You are doing so many things with your hands, brain and the whole body."Like many of her peers, Arlin found hobby horsing through play as a child. "But the older I became, it became more serious," said the rider, who trains by riding real horses, working out in the gym and doing pole dancing.Rainbow flags in the arena reflected the tolerant values underpinning the community.   "Horses are mostly seen as a girls' sport, but that is not correct. Anyone can come no matter what gender," Mikkonen said.   Every enthusiast AFP spoke to praised the welcoming community that kept them devoted to hobby horsing despite the scornful attitudes all encountered at some point."We have each other's backs," said Arlin. ank/po/fg/smw

  • The son also rises: what if Bronny James is the safest pick in the NBA draft?

    The 19-year-old has been derided as a nepo-baller. But growing up around one of the greatest players of all time could help him build a long career as a role player

  • 2024 NBA Draft: Winners and losers from the first round, featuring the Spurs, Grizzlies and France

    Here is a stab at a first draft of history — a thumbnail sketch of who had a pretty good first night of the 2024 NBA Draft, and who might wind up looking back at the evening wistfully, with some regret.

  • Washington Wizards take French 7-footer Alex Sarr with the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft

    Alex Sarr will obviously face some pressure as the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft. “We're not going to put a specific timeline on the rebuild here,” Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said. The Wizards drafted Sarr with the second pick Wednesday night, using their highest selection in 14 years to add some much-needed size to a team that won only 15 games last season.

  • Euro 2024: Who will England play next and when? Possible opponents for last-16 knockout stage

    The Three Lions top Group C despite a laboured goalless draw against Slovenia in Cologne

  • Historic NBA draft for France, which joins US as only country with 3 players within top 10 picks

    The NBA may have to rethink the timing of its annual draft. Paris is six hours ahead of New York, so French basketball fans eager to see history had to stay up into the wee hours of Thursday morning to see France join the United States as the only countries with three players drafted in the top 10 picks of an NBA draft.