Kim Joo-hyung, who shared the lead after firing a 64 on the opening day of the PGA Tour's Charles Schwab Challenge ($9.9 million purse), faded over the second and third rounds and slipped out of contention.
Kim shot an even-par 70 with two birdies and two bogeys in the third round held Saturday (Korea time) at Colonial Country Club (par 70) in Fort Worth, Texas.
Kim had surged into a tie for first with a 6-under 64 in the opening round. But after stumbling to a 2-over 72 in the second round, he again failed to gain ground on Saturday. With a 54-hole total of 4-under 206, he sits in a tie for 27th, eight strokes behind sole leader Eric Cole of the United States, who is at 12-under 198.
Kim got off to a shaky start with a bogey on the par-4 third hole. He picked up his first birdie of the day on the par-4 ninth, sinking a 9-meter putt, and added another on the par-5 11th after sticking his approach to within a meter of the pin. He bogeyed the par-4 15th after failing to find the green with his third shot, finishing the round at even par.
Cole, leading outright, is chasing his first PGA Tour victory. He carded a 7-under 63 on Saturday with eight birdies and a single bogey. Jordan Smith of England, who had led after the second round, recorded no birdies and four bogeys to fall to a tie for 19th at 6-under 204. Ryan Gerard of the United States remained in second, one stroke behind Cole, while defending champion Ben Griffin of the United States moved up 15 spots to a tie for 19th (6-under) after shaving two strokes off his score.
