SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda – Adam Schenk performed bogey-free in robust winds Saturday, taking pictures a 4-under 67 and sharing the lead with Braden Thornberry in a tense battle for a PGA Tour card on the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Thornberry, a PGA Tour rookie who gained the NCAA title eight years in the past at Mississippi State, shot a 69 to tie Schenk at 12-under 201 and entered the ultimate spherical with little margin for error.
Schenk and Thornberry are amongst 10 of the highest 11 gamers on the leaderboard who arrived in Bermuda from exterior the FedEx Cup high 100 as time expired. The season concludes subsequent week on the RSM Traditional at Sea Island, which would be the first event to award playing cards to the highest 100 moderately than the highest 125.
Schenck is ranked 134th and is operating out of choices. However he began making tweaks to his recreation in current months and noticed it repay in time at Port Royal.
After enjoying in 242 video games on the PGA Tour with out a win, he instantly had a possibility he by no means anticipated.
“It is an incredible alternative for tomorrow,” stated Schenk, who’s splitting the 54-hole lead for the primary time since Colonial two years in the past. “I do know if I don’t make the highest 100 I’ve to go to Q-school, in order that’s a reasonably large motivator.”
Thornberry is ranked No. 178 and will earn a card with a two-year exemption if he wins.
However they’ve a variety of associates.
One group behind was Canada’s Adam Hadwin, who led after 36 holes, however settled for a 71 and tied for third. Max McGreevey (69), Chandler Phillips (70) and Japan’s Takumi Kanaya (66).
Rikuya Hoshino was 2 behind with 67.
The one participant inside three strokes of the lead who wasn’t beneath a lot stress was Vince Whaley, who shot a 68. He’s 86th within the FedEx Cup, nearly assured to stay within the high 100.
On high of the stress of holding your PGA Tour card, there is a wind that will not cease blowing. Thornberry discovered the trick was to reap the benefits of the wind when it was serving to, and grasp on when it wasn’t. An instance of that is the par-3 sixteenth, which performed 124 yards.
“I used to be about to chip my 6-iron and the wind modified,” Thornberry stated. “There are some pictures the place it’s a must to settle for that even if in case you have a good swing, you will not get wherever close to the outlet. Simply attempt to battle via it. That is actually the important thing to all the things.”
Schenck was an instance in 2023 of a participant who can advance to the massive occasion even when he does not make it to the $20 million signature event the primary time round. He superior to the Tour Championship with out a win and performed in each main event in 2024.
Though he appears like he is beginning over once more now, the 33-year-old Indiana native is pleased with a few of the modifications he made in September.
“I actually want I may have carried out this earlier within the season. I would not have been on this place, however right here I’m,” Schenk stated. “And if I could make some putts tomorrow – which is difficult to do within the wind – perhaps I can get one other bogey-free spherical, that will be nice.”
