The rounds are starting to repeat for Byeong Hun An: No bogeys, a bunch of birdies and more time atop the Wyndham Championship leaderboard.
An shot a 4-under 66 on Saturday for a one-stroke lead after three rounds at the PGA TOUR’s final event before the FedExCup Playoffs.
Branden Grace shares 63rd place at -5 after a third round 70
An, who was at 17-under 193, has held or shared the lead after each of the first three rounds and has yet to play a hole worse than par. The 27-year-old South Korean with three international victories has put himself in position to claim his first win on TOUR.
‘It feels similar to yesterday, to be fair,’ An said. ‘I had some nice shots here and there, but scrambled well today. Another bogey-free (round). I’m quite happy with it — a 66 out here, and I have a lead.’
Former Wyndham winner Webb Simpson and Brice Garnett were tied for second, with Simpson shooting a 65 and Garnett a 66. Ryan Armour was 15 under following a 65.
‘One shot is basically nothing,’ An said. ‘It’s not that big of a lead. It’s just one shot.’
Overall, it was yet another low-scoring day at Sedgefield Country Club. For a while midway through An’s round, six players were tied for the lead at 13 under.
‘I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody shot 8, 9, 10 under, a guy who’s within striking distance,’ Simpson said. ‘I’ve got to keep the pedal down, and if I don’t shoot a low one, I’m not going to win.’
An started to get some separation from the crowd with three birdies in the four-hole span from Nos. 5-8, moving to 16 under.
Then came his best shot of the day, a 50-foot birdie putt on the par-4 14th. He closed with four straight pars.
Simpson – a native North Carolinian who named his daughter Wyndham after his first career victory came here in 2011 – strung together three birdies around a bogey midway through his back nine to move to 16 under.
If nothing else, he’s in good position to claim his fifth top-10 finish in six years at this tournament.
