Kim Si-woo extended his lead at the PGA Tour event for a second consecutive day, buoyed by the support of CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun, the tournament's main sponsor.
Kim carded a 3-under 68 with six birdies and three bogeys in the third round of The CJ Cup Byron Nelson (total purse of $10.3 million) at TPC Craig Ranch (par 71) in McKinney, Texas, on Friday. With a 54-hole total of 21-under 192, Kim holds a two-stroke lead over defending champion Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark, both of the United States, who are tied for second. Kim will chase his fifth career PGA Tour victory in the final round.
After firing a 60 on Thursday, just one stroke shy of the elusive 59 with 12 birdies, Kim wobbled with three bogeys on Friday.
But he showcased his trademark composure under pressure to retain the lead.
Starting the third round with a five-stroke lead, Kim failed to cut his score through the 11th hole (par 4) on the back nine and briefly relinquished the top spot.
Kim then regained his focus on the back nine. Sparked by a birdie on the 12th hole (par 5), he flipped the momentum, picked up additional birdies on the 14th (par 4) and 15th (par 3) to reclaim the lead, and dropped no further strokes to finish the day in sole possession of first place.
After the round, Kim said, "Early on, I think I was too conscious of my score. My caddie told me, 'You're rushing a bit, so think calmly,' which helped me settle down. After the birdie on the 13th hole, I felt at ease and the good shots started coming again."
Kim added on his approach to the final round, "This isn't a course where you can play defensively. I'll adjust depending on the situation, but basically I plan to keep playing aggressively."
Scheffler shaved six strokes off his score on Friday to close within two strokes of Kim. Paired with Kim in the final group on Sunday, he is eyeing a late comeback.
Clark also delivered a sharp performance in the third round, joining Scheffler at 19-under for a tie for second.
Im Sung-jae, who began the third round tied for second, shot a 4-under to finish the day at 17-under, tied for fourth, four strokes behind Kim.
"There were some regrets today, but overall it was a satisfying round," Im said. "I still have a chance, and if I play well tomorrow, I think there's an opportunity to come from behind. I'll do my best to the end."
Noh Seung-yul is tied for 16th at 13-under. Kim Joo-hyung is tied for 50th at 9-under, and Bae Yong-jun is tied for 56th at 8-under heading into the final round.
Meanwhile, CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun, the main sponsor for both Kim Si-woo and Im Sung-jae, visited the tournament Friday to cheer on his players. Lee watched and supported Kim and Im, who played in the same group. It was Lee's first visit since The CJ Cup, launched in 2017, was relocated to the United States in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and scheduling considerations.
