When a tournament boasts the best golfers in the world with a short golf course and little wind, scores will be low. That’s what occurred on Saturday at Harbour Town for the third round of the RBC Heritage. 35 players are currently 10-under or better. The field was a combined 223-under par, the most of any round in the tournament’s history. Six shot a Saturday low eight-under 63, including 54-hole co-leader Tyrrell Hatton.
Another 63 on the board.@TyrrellHatton drains the long birdie putt on 18. He leads alone @RBC_Heritage.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/AYcZNJfRsd
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 20, 2020
“It would certainly be nice to go out there tomorrow with potentially a chance to win,” Hatton said to reporters after his third round. “Obviously, a lot of confidence from winning a few months ago, and hopefully a good day tomorrow.”
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Hatton’s first PGA Tour win came at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. His iron play into the greens sets up a ton of birdie opportunities; Hatton ranks first on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: approach the green (1.42) and tee-to-green (2.61).
With Hatton gaining an average of three strokes on the field per round, it explains why he is at the top of the leaderboard. He’s missed just one putt inside six feet over the three days and is successful from long distance. On the 18th hole, Hatton sank a 24-foot birdie putt, his eighth of the round.
-8 63 on moving day 😍 @RBC_Heritage @PGATOUR pic.twitter.com/ra72vHgJwF
— Tyrrell Hatton (@TyrrellHatton) June 20, 2020
“Holing out has been really good and been pretty solid from inside 20 feet, which is nice, and I hope that continues tomorrow,”
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If Hatton’s going to sport the tartan jacket Sunday evening, he will beat a plethora of golfers near the top of the leaderboard. Sharing the lead with Tyrrell Hatton is Webb Simpson, who can move into first on the FedEx Cup standings with a win.
Ryan Palmer shot a third-round 66, with no bogeys on the back 9. And Abraham Ancer, searching for his first PGA Tour win, shot a Saturday 65 to share the lead at 15-under par.
“I feel more comfortable out there,” said Ancer to reporters after his round. “It doesn’t matter if I’m in 70th or 2nd, I feel like I feel really comfortable out there, which is really important when you’re in contention.
17 golfers are within three shots of the lead. This list includes former major champions such as Sergio Garcia (-13) and Brooks Koepka (-12).
Canadian Corey Conners, who started the day one back of the lead, shot a two-under 69, putting him two back of the lead.
With each of the last seven winners at the RBC Heritage multiple shots back entering the final round, there is plenty of golf left before a winner is crowned.
“I don’t know if 14 under is going to be winning at the end of the day, but I needed to play a good round to be in contention, and I did that,” said Daniel Berger, who was one of the six to shoot 63.
