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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — J.J. Spaun did simply sufficient proper on the finish to vogue a 2-under 68 and preserve his one-shot lead Saturday within the FedEx St. Jude Championship with a well-recognized identify lurking.
At stake for Cameron Smith is No. 1 on the planet.
Already a banner yr along with his first main on the British Open, and below heavy scrutiny for experiences that he’s headed to Saudi-funded LIV Golf, Smith birdied his final gap for a 67. That left him two pictures behind and absolutely conscious a victory strikes him to No. 1 on the planet.
“That’s been considered one of my objectives in all probability for the reason that begin of the yr is to attempt to get to that prime spot,” Smith stated. “Try to chase it down.”
The chase will begin out in a visitors jam.
Spaun had a two-putt birdie on the par-5 sixteenth and holed an 18-foot birdie putt on the following gap to assert the 54-hole lead a 13-under 197.
Sepp Straka was proper there with him till he failed to save lots of par from the bunker on the 18th for a 68 that left him one shot behind. Each are first-time winners on the PGA Tour this yr, and a victory in a FedEx Cup playoffs even carries much more weight — $2.7 million to the winner and a assured spot at East Lake for the FedEx Cup finale.
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 participant on the planet and within the FedEx Cup since March, missed the reduce. That paves the way in which for Smith, whose three wins this yr embody The Gamers Championship, to succeed in No. 1 if he have been to win.
Will Zalatoris is simply as hungry, for various causes. Zalatoris has been a troublesome buyer within the majors, dropping in a playoff on the PGA Championship and ending one again within the U.S. Open. He’s No. 14 on the planet. And he has but to win on the PGA Tour.
Zalatoris opened with a 71 that put him in such a gap that even his fiancee needed to know their plans if he didn’t make it to the weekend.
“I informed her, ‘Let’s cross that bridge when he get there,’” Zalatoris stated with a smile. He determined to let his new caddie, Joel Inventory, learn putts of their second official spherical collectively. Zalatoris shot a 63 and adopted with a 65 on Saturday.
He additionally was two behind, together with Trey Mullinax (66).
As for the chase to the following playoff occasion, take into account Tyler Duncan. He’s No. 118 within the FedEx Cup, and solely the highest 70 transfer on to the BMW Championship subsequent week in Delaware. Duncan had a 67 and was tied for sixth. He was three behind, and even when he doesn’t win, he can transfer on if he can maintain his place.
That gained’t be simple with so many gamers within the combine — 16 gamers separated by 4 pictures. That group consists of Sam Burns and Tony Finau. A winner in his final two begins, Finau ended his streak of 11 consecutive rounds at 68 or decrease. He made a bogey on the final gap gave him a 69, leaving him 4 behind.
Nobody stands out like Smith, for thus many causes. Not solely is it his first begin since being launched at St. Andrews because the “champion golfer of the yr,” the Every day Telegraph reported on Tuesday that he had signed with LIV and would be part of the defectors outdoors Boston after the Tour Championship is over.
Smith has steadfastly refused to speak about it, solely to say he’s solely considering of the FedEx Cup.
“I’m a person of my phrase and everytime you guys must know something, it’ll be stated by me,” Smith stated Tuesday. That was shortly earlier than a California federal decide denied a request by three LIV golfers to play within the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Distractions don’t appear to be a problem, and there’s no scarcity of them.
“There’s positively been a couple of extra, however for me, I’m simply making an attempt to hit the perfect shot I can,” Smith stated. That’s what I’m right here to do is to hit good golf pictures and make birdies.“
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Extra AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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