CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — Keegan Bradley completed with an 8-foot birdie putt, his eighth birdie of a spherical that solely gave him a 2-under 70 on Saturday on a day the place Fort Pines took greater than it gave and created loads of prospects within the BMW Championship.
Adam Scott hit one tee shot out-of-bounds and one other within the water after simply three holes and needed to rally on the finish to restrict the harm to a 74, leaving him just one shot behind.
Ludvig Aberg started his day with a nosebleed in excessive altitude. He wiped off the blood and drained a 50-foot birdie putt firstly. The tremendous Swede went from a four-shot deficit to a three-shot lead after simply 5 holes. He had 4 birdies and an eagle and will solely handle a 71, leaving him two photographs again.
He was tied with fellow Swede Alex Noren, who was six photographs behind at one level and closed with three straight birdies, the final one from 35 ft throughout the 18th inexperienced for a 70.
Most telling about this wind-blown day in mile-high air was Xander Schauffele. When advised Friday how uncommon it was to not see his or Scottie Scheffler’s title among the many high 20 on the leaderboard, Schauffele smiled and stated, “Give it one other day. One in every of us might be there.”
It turned out to be him. He began the weekend 11 photographs behind. He had a 67 — regardless of a double bogey on his card — and goes into Sunday 4 photographs behind.
Bradley, the newly appointed Ryder Cup captain for the 2025 matches, was at 12-under 204. He nonetheless has yet another spherical to carry off 5 gamers, which incorporates Denver native and former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark.
“I performed some sensible golf however I hit additionally some horrible photographs, too. I suppose that’s the best way of the world,” Bradley stated. “However I’m pleased with the best way I fought there ultimately.”
Nonetheless not safe — for Bradley, Scott and Noren — is a visit to East Lake subsequent week for the Tour Championship. The highest 30 advance to the FedEx Cup finale with not less than some likelihood on the $25 million prize.
Bradley, Scott and Noren had been all outdoors the highest 40 going to Fort Pines. Bradley was the final man to get within the 50-man area for the BMW Championship. A victory would put him at No. 4. But when falls too far behind, he may very well be out of the highest 30.
Scott and Noren aren’t out of the woods but, both.
All of them are pondering extra concerning the trophies at stake Sunday — one from the BMW Championship, one from the Western Golf Affiliation, which has been operating this elite event for 125 years.
Scott had a three-shot result in begin the third spherical and it was gone rapidly. He despatched his opening tee shot nicely to the correct, over threes and past the white out-of-bounds posts. He needed to scramble for a bogey.
Two holes later, he took an aggressive line off the tee and was just a few yards left of the place he wanted to be. He might see the ball splash within the pond from the tee, and a three-putt from 20 ft added to a double bogey. A bogey from the bunker on the following gap adopted, and the Australian was reeling.
He didn’t make a birdie till the eleventh gap, and he hit one other tee shot out-of-bounds on the par-5 14th the place he once more scrambled for a bogey. All that and he nonetheless was just one behind and within the closing group.
“I form of felt like I made a meal of that, and I didn’t really feel like I did that a lot improper — a few drives had been simply not fairly proper, and a three-putt, and swiftly I’m form of chasing,” Scott stated. “I’m in a great spot ultimately of it to be one again.”
Bradley had solely 4 pars, the final one on No. 10. He went from three straight bogeys to 2 straight birdies, a bogey from in need of the inexperienced on the par-3 sixteenth and two closing bogeys.
The 48 gamers — Hideki Matsuyama withdrew Friday and Robert MacIntyre on Saturday, each citing decrease again points — mixed to make 22 double bogeys, two triple bogeys and one quadruple bogey in gusts that by no means actually relented.
