03 February 2019: Rickie Fowler is hot as a melting mass of steel. He is at 20-under (64-65-64) and enjoys a four-stroke advantage over Matt Kuchar, going into the final group on Sunday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Justin Thomas is leading the chasing pack at 15-under with Byeong Hun An and Branden Grace trailing by a further two strokes. Unless Fowler has a let down on Sunday, most of those men are merely going to battle for second at the TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.
Fowler shot eight birdies in his third round, seven under 64 to gain a vice-like grip over the lead. After making four birdies in six holes, the only slip of the round came at the par-3 7th hole. The 30-year-old sailed his tee shot into the greenside bunker and went on to two-putt from inside ten feet to concede the only bogey of his round.
Fowler is a two-time runner-up at the course and has a massive opportunity on Sunday to nail a well-deserved victory. Among those hoping to spoil the party will be Kuchar. The consistent American shot a bogey-free 65 to move to 16-under 197. Kuchar made a 65 on Saturday too.
Justin Thomas began the week firmly in the company of Fowler, both on and off the course. The two gents are sharing an accommodation this week and were joint leaders with Harold Varner III at the end of the first round. But Thomas has been gliding away from Fowler with symmetrically higher scores with each passing round. After starting the week with a 64, he has since made 66 and 68 for a 54-hole total of 198.
A 64 also came from the back markers. Chez Reavie soared 41 spots into T12 on a spotless seven-under round on Saturday. Jason Kokrak was also error-free in the third round, his 65 aided by six birdies, three of them rolling in nicely in just four holes from the tenth.
There was symmetry too with the way Bubba Watson and Gary Woodland were conducting their business. The two men have been navigating in opposite directions to join in T6 as the stage is set for a rousing final round. With scores of 68-67-66, Woodland has been progressively better this week, while Watson is sailing in the opposite direction with is scores of 66-67-68.
Interesting Facts:
- Rickie Fowler’s 64 in rounds one and three this week mark his lowest score in the event since a 9-under 62 in round two of 2011
- Fowler’s four-shot lead is two shy of the 54-hole record since the tournament moved to TPC Scottsdale (1987)
- Fowler has posted an over-par score in the final round following each previous (6) 54-hole lead/co-lead. Converted for the win once
- Matt Kuchar extends perfect streak of par-or-better scores this season to 19
- In his PGA TOUR debut, amateur Matthew Wolff (T45) posted a 1-over 72 in round three and is at 4-under 209
- Best finish by an amateur at the Waste Management Phoenix Open: J.T. Blair III/T3/1956, Jon Rahm/T5/2015, Ken Venturi/T6/1956 and Frank Stranahan/T7/1948
- Defending champion Gary Woodland sits T6 at 12-under 201
