Si Woo Kim carried a two-shot lead into the final round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson after a 3-under 68 on Saturday that left him at 21-under through 54 holes.
Kim’s third round included bogeys on the 10th and 11th holes before he answered with birdies on Nos. 12, 14 and 15, and he said, "After that, my caddie told me, ‘You’re in a rush, so you’ve got to calm down,’" as he closed the day. He has already made 26 birdies for the tournament and sits at 270 for the year.
Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark both finished the third round at 19-under after matching 6-under 65s and will begin Sunday two shots behind Kim. Scheffler’s round was strong enough to force him into the final pairing with Kim; the two are friends from nearby Royal Oaks Country Club and will tee off together at 1:40 p.m. ET on Sunday. Scheffler said, "I’m looking forward to the challenge," and added, "It’s always fun when I get to play with Si Woo. I think it's good for the community to have two guys that are local up there on the leaderboard. Should be a fun day tomorrow."
Seven players remained within five shots of the lead entering Sunday at TPC Craig Ranch, a par-71 course that has seen low scoring this week because the course was rain-softened and the wind has been nearly nonexistent. The tournament’s heavy scoring follows a recent renovation at TPC Craig Ranch that repositioned 74 bunkers, recreated three waste areas and reshaped all 18 greens; the project cost $25 million and was finished in less than a year.
Television and streaming coverage for the final round is staggered: Golf Channel will air final-round coverage from 1-3 p.m. ET and CBS from 3-6 p.m. ET, while PGA Tour Live on + begins exclusive early streaming coverage at 7:45 a.m. ET. The final pairing’s 1:40 p.m. ET tee time means viewers will catch the leaders when Golf Channel feed begins.
Wyndham Clark reflected on the day and the course’s setup, saying, "I like when par means a lot, typically on the tougher golf courses," and also, "It's also fun to be going out there and who's going to make the most birdies, who's going to hit the best shots and make the most putts. That is also fun. It's fun being in contention." His words underline the dual nature of the closing round: par remains valuable, but birdies will decide the winner on a soft TPC Craig Ranch.
The immediate weight of the leaderboard is tangible: Kim’s 21-under sits above back-to-back challengers at 19-under, a two-shot gap that can vanish in a few holes on a course that has yielded big numbers. Scheffler arrives with recent pedigree—he won THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson last year with a record 31-under-par 253—and the pairing with Kim guarantees the final hour will be played under familiar, local rivalry and proximity.
Sunday will be a test of temperament as much as shot-making. Kim said of the course during the week, "This course is definitely not a 'protecting' course," and his play so far has mixed aggressive birdie runs with brief mistakes. Expect a duel: Scheffler’s form and last year’s dominance collide with Kim’s comfort here and the momentum he carried into the weekend. Whoever manages that balance over 18 holes at TPC Craig Ranch will lift the trophy.
