Straka Leads Web.com Tour Championship after Three Rounds but Anything Happen come Sunday!
The Web.com TOUR Championship- the finale of the FINALS!
On Moving Day, Sepp Straka shot a Saturday 64, to keep his dream alive of capturing one of the twenty-five 2018-19 PGA TOUR cards! His would be a meteoric rise to the FINALS Top 25 projected No. 3 position from T80 at the start of the week.
The pressure is mounting—low scores are still possible—but the low round of the day has progressively increased as the pressure and reality of ‘Do-or-Die Sunday’ becomes overbearing to those on, above or below the bubble. Additionally there is extra ‘Do-or-Die’ pressure to finish high atop the leaderboard for guys like Straka, Lucas Glover, Cameron Tringale, Chris Paisley, and Ben Silverman who have come from oblivion to contending for one of the twenty-five coveted tour cards.
Round One Thursday low round was a 61 by Paisley, Round Two was a 62 by Peter Malnati (who was safe as No. 3 starting the week), and Round Three was a Paisley Encore, this time a 63!
Atlantic Beach CC is the host venue for the Web.com Tour Championship!
Paisley (61-74-63) was out starting the week, in after Round One, out after Round Two, but made the cut, and is now No.33 after Round Three. The Englishman still has a chance to make the FINALS Top 25 with a strong Sunday finish!
Glover (64-64-68) has risen from No. 40 to No. 12; Curtis Luck (67-65-64) is safe beginning the week at No. 16 and now projected No. 7; Denny McCarthy (64-65-67) also is safe beginning at No. 11 and now projected No. 5.
On Friday Cameron Tringale followed a Thursday a 63 with a Friday 67, good enough for solo 3rd, two strokes back of Glover. The 2017 FINALS Graduate was also a FINALS pole vaulter this year going up 68 spots from T83 to T15. In 26 PGA TOUR events this year he had only one Top-25 and finished No. 195 in the FedExCup Points Standing. In the first three FINALS events he has gone CUT-T56-CUT so he needs a big week at Atlantic Beach CC.
Starting on the back nine on today, Tringale birdied his first hole and then added two more birdies before bogeying the 18th. But he bounced right back with a birdie on the first and then one more on the 4th hole. “Had a lot of good looks and none of them fell. Kind of wish I had a couple more chances out there, but I’m pleased with my position. I didn’t force this round, just kind of let it come,” commented Cameron after the round.
“Well, it’s why we’re here. It would mean a lot. It’s been a long year and I’m excited about golf for the first time in a while, to be honest. So that has kind of fueled my vigor this week and kept—has given me some perspective on just what this week is and really just to let it happen,” added Tringale.
The CUT fell at 5-under with 66 players making the cut. Notable names to miss include Ricky Barnes, Aaron Baddeley, and defending champion Jonathon Byrd,
Tringale put it all in perspective with his final comment—“Yeah, I was hoping last year was my last time here.”
FINALS Top 25 Bubble Watch:
The FINALS Top 25 golfers will be the next wave to the PGA TOUR!
The five players that have moved INTO the FINALS Top 25 after Round Three relative to the start of the week are: Sepp Straka (65-66-64), Lucas Glover (64-64-68), Justin Lower (68-66-66), Henrik Norlander (67-67-67), Cameron Tringale (63-67-67).
Ben Silverman (63-68-67), Matt Every (64-68-70), and Ben Crane (64-69-74) were in after Round Two but now stand OUT as Nos. 26, 27, and 32 respectively.
The corresponding five players that have moved OUT of the FINALS Top 25 after Round Two relative to the start of the week are: Brian Campbell (69-68-69), Aaron Baddeley (68-67-CUT), Joseph Bramlett (71-68-CUT), Lanto Griffin (69-72-CUT), and Scott Pinckney (71-71-CUT).
Wes Roach (67-67-68) was out after Round One but became the ‘Bubble Boy’ at No. 25 going into Round Two and now sits at No. 23!
Jim Knous (67-69-70) was out after Round Two but is now the new ‘Bubble Boy’ at No. 25.
Others near the ‘Bubble Boy’:
No. 20: Justin Lower (68-66-66)
No. 21: Dylan Frittelli (65-72-68)
No. 22: Henrik Norlander (67-67-67)
No. 23: Wes Roach (67-67-68)
No. 24: Cameron Tringale (63-67-67)
No. 25: Jim Knous (67-69-70)
No. 26: Ben Silverman (63-68)
No. 27: Matt Every (64-68-70)
No. 28: Brian Campbell (69-68-69)
No. 29: Aaron Baddeley (68-70-CUT)
No. T30: Joseph Bramlett (71-68-CUT) and Lanto Griffin (69-72-CUT).
Michael Thompson (66-68-64) was out after Round Two but is now in again at No. 17 after a Saturday 64.
Sure to be an exciting Sunday finish at the 2018 Web.com Tour Championship at Atlantic Beach CC!
Let’s see what happens tomorrow!
