The winds calmed but the competition heated up on Saturday at the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas. When play was suspended due to darkness with the third round unfinished, there was a logjam atop the leaderboard, with a compelling mix of contenders in position to chase the title on Sunday.
Holding the clubhouse lead at 14-under par were Gary Woodland and hometown favorite Kurt Kitayama. Both carded bogey-free rounds of 6-under 65 on moving day at TPC Summerlin.
But they may not have the lead by the time round three concludes Sunday morning. J.T. Poston made an eagle late in his second round for a 65, then notched another eagle on the par-5 9th in round three to get to 15-under through 13 holes. Doug Ghim also eagled the 9th to match Poston at that score, with a 5-foot par putt upcoming on 17 when the horn sounded.
Woodland’s Stirring Comeback
For 38-year-old Gary Woodland, being in contention marks a significant milestone on his journey back from a frightening health scare. In September 2023, Woodland had brain surgery to remove a lesion that was causing fear and anxiety.
I feel a lot better for one. That’s a huge help. I’ve seen some signs. I’m starting to drive it better, iron play, controlling the golf ball like I haven’t in a long time, which is nice. Then putts start going in, start putting some good scores up.
– Gary Woodland
The 2019 U.S. Open champion reunited with his college coach, the legendary Randy Smith. The work is starting to pay off, with Woodland now 28 holes without a bogey heading into Sunday.
Several Still In The Hunt
While Woodland and Kitayama will sleep on the lead, a host of others still have holes to complete early Sunday with a chance to claim the top spot:
- Harris English and Alejandro Tosti are 14-under with 4 holes left
- Six players are 13-under and will restart on the back nine
- In total, 30 of the 66 players who made the cut did not finish
After gusts approached 50 mph on Friday, causing a delay of over four hours, the winds relented on Saturday. Expect the best players to take full advantage of receptive greens and scoring opportunities as they jockey for position.
Notables Sent Packing
Among those who struggled and missed the cut at 3-under 139:
- Tom Kim, who was seeking a rare three-peat as a back-to-back defending champion
- The three latest winners from the fall series of the FedEx Cup: Patton Kizzire, Kevin Yu, and Matt McCarty
The stage is set for a wild Sunday finish at TPC Summerlin. With many players still on the course and within striking distance, and some accomplished veterans like Woodland and Kitayama hungry for a victory, the final round of the Shriners Children’s Open is shaping up to be must-see TV. Tune in Sunday to see who emerges from the pack to claim the trophy in Sin City.
