Rory McIlroy fell to 10 photographs off the lead on the Valero Texas Open after a third-round 72, with chief Akshay Bhatia sustaining his place on the prime by 4 photographs.
Bhatia shot 68 on Saturday to stay atop the leaderboard with a four-shot lead in his bid for a wire-to-wire win in San Antonio.
Bhatia sits at 15-under par for the match, 4 photographs forward of Denny McCarthy, who shot 67. Bhatia had a five-stroke lead after 36 holes, however his four-stroke lead after 54 holes matches the largest to date this season on tour. Additionally it is the largest on the Valero Open since Jimmy Walker in 2015.
Bhatia is gunning to change into the primary wire-to-wire winner since Lee Hodges on the 2023 3M Open. He could be the primary wire-to-wire on the Valero Open since Bob Estes in 1994.
Rory McIlroy slipped again to 10 photographs off the lead after the third spherical of the Texas Open
Watch Jordan Spieth hit a ball onto the roof on the Valero Texas Open, because the American had a gap to neglect!
He carded six birdies towards two bogeys for his spherical, wanting calm however admitting he was not.
“I used to be by no means calm as we speak and it was the toughest factor to take care of. It is simply so exhausting, you’re feeling so tense and all these items in your abdomen, your thoughts can type of go a technique,” Bhatia mentioned. “I stored to my sport plan. I attempted to speak as a lot as I may to my caddie.”
Akshay Bhatia is in search of to change into the primary wire-to-wire winner on the Texas Open since 1994
Brendon Todd (70 on Saturday) sits solo in third at eight below. Hideki Matsuyama made an enormous leap up the leaderboard with a six-under 66, however he’s eight photographs off the tempo in a tie for fourth.
McCarthy practically posted a clear spherical, carding six birdies towards one bogey. He’s nonetheless in search of his first win on the PGA Tour.
Ludvig Aberg’s driver clubhead flew off throughout his tee shot on the Valero Texas Open, however he nonetheless managed to achieve the inexperienced
Bhatia, 22, is on the verge of qualifying for his first main. The Texas Open champion will obtain the ultimate berth into subsequent week’s Masters, if not already certified.
“I used to be speaking to my psychologist final evening and even this morning, simply all of the tales that what may occur, what if I lose the lead, what if this lead goes to 10. So many issues are in your thoughts,” Bhatia mentioned.
Watch the fourth spherical of the Valero Texas Open, dwell on Sky Sports activities Golf from 6pm, Sunday. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, majors and extra with NOW
When is The Masters on Sky Sports activities?
The Masters is upon us and you’ll watch all of the great motion and intense drama from Augusta dwell on Sky Sports activities, from Thursday April 11 – Sunday April 14
The Masters is upon us and you’ll watch all of the great motion and intense drama from Augusta dwell on Sky Sports activities, from Thursday April 11 to Sunday April 14
Wall-to-wall protection from the match begins at 2pm over the primary two rounds on Thursday April 11 and Friday April 12, with Featured Group motion and common updates from across the course out there to take pleasure in on Sky Sports activities Golf till the worldwide broadcast window begins at 8pm.
There will likely be a number of further motion all through all 4 days through the pink button on Sky Sports activities Golf, together with Sky Q and Sky Glass, offering loads of bonus feeds and permitting you to comply with gamers’ progress by means of numerous elements of Augusta’s well-known structure.
The infamous Amen Nook stream will even be out there and focuses on the well-known three-hole stretch from the eleventh, whereas a feed of the fourth, fifth and sixth holes will go dwell every day as quickly because the opening group attain that a part of the course.
One other stream masking the fifteenth and sixteenth gap can also be out there for each spherical, whereas prolonged protection of the weekend motion begins at each 3pm on each Saturday April 13 and Sunday April 14.
Sky Sports activities Golf will present build-up content material and occasional dwell updates from the course earlier than the worldwide broadcast window begins at 8pm for the third spherical and 7pm for the ultimate day, with early motion out there all through through the pink button.
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