Xander Schauffele is tied for the lead alongside Spain’s Jon Rahm heading into the final round of the Olympic men’s golf competition as he looks to win back-to-back gold medals.
The American arrived at his second appearance at the Games on the back of winning The Open Championship two weeks ago and has continued his excellent form at Le Golf National.
Schauffele was part of a three-way share of the halfway lead at 11-under, but he shot a 3-under 68 that was highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 14th to outperform playing partners Tommy Fleetwood of Great Britain and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama on Saturday.
“It was a sticky start,” said Schauffele. “Slow and kind of weird breaks. It was a bit of a mental battle there. Happy to bounce back pretty strong on theback nine. I was hoping to try and birdie — when you messup easy holes, you just have to try and birdie the hard ones.
“That front stretch there, you’re hitting sort of iron or hybrid, anything too long off the tee, you’re going to hit a wedge or short iron in. Those are spots where you can have a lot of birdie looks. And to be scrambling for par, making bogeys, is never a good thing.
“Fought back into the round and was able to sort of clean itup coming in.”
Rahm, playing in the group ahead, produced his second consecutive round of 66 that included a seventh birdie of the day at the 17th to also reach 14-under.
“I’ve been playing good all year, but I haven’t been able to give myself the best chances,” said the Spaniard. “For this last month, to be playing as good as I have, and slowly get better. [To] give myself an opportunity this week is very, very gratifying.”
Fleetwood will join the major-winning duo in the final group on Sunday after he mixed three birdies with two bogeys to sit one stroke off the leaders.
Nicolai Højgaard enjoyed the round of the week so far as he matched the course record of 62 with a bogey-free total that featured an eagle and seven birdies. That moved the Dane into a share of fourth on the leaderboard alongside Matsuyama, who lost ground in his pursuit of an Olympic medal with a level-par 71.
World Nos. 1 and 3 Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, respectively, are both poised to make a Sunday run as they played their way into contention after contrasting rounds. While Scheffler mixed six birdies and two bogeys in a round that fluctuated, McIlroy enjoyed his first flawless score of the week as he made five birdies for a 66.
Thomas Detry of Belgium and Korea’s Tom Kim also sit at 10-under – four back – after they carded a pair of 69s. Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg, Australia’s Jason Day and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann round out the top 10 a shot further back.
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