By Bilal Ahmed
Clements holds lead in Puntacana
Todd Clements, an Englishman, maintained his two-stroke lead on Saturday in the Corales Puntacana Championship. He achieved a 5-under 67 in the third round of the tournament, which is an alternate event to the British Open. Clements reached 18-under 198 at Puntacana Resort and Club, matching the third-round score of Ben James and preserving the advantage he held coming into the day.
Clements began the tournament with a 65, followed by a 66, marking three consecutive rounds in the 60s. He is seeking his first victory on the PGA Tour. Following his round, Clements commented on his approach, stating, “Look, you don’t turn up to any tournament not trying to win. Did I think it would be this week? Not sure, but here we are.”
His 54-hole total established a tournament record, surpassing the 199 previously set by Adam Long in 2021, Wesley Bryan in 2024, and Joel Dahmen last year. None of these previous record-setters converted their strong pace into a victory.
Challengers and leaderboard movements
Ben James remains Clements’ closest competitor, positioned at 16-under 200. James, who also recorded a 67 for his third consecutive round in the 60s, is scheduled to join Clements in the final pairing. James expressed his excitement for the upcoming round, saying, “I’m playing some good golf and I’m really excited for tomorrow. We’ll try to keep it going. Very excited for hopefully a good day.”
Max McGreevy made a notable ascent on the leaderboard, delivering a 7-under 65, which was the lowest round of the day. McGreevy is now tied for third place at 14 under. He shares this position with Italy’s Stefano Mazzoli, who shot a 66, and Gordon Sargent, who posted a 69. McGreevy’s round included an eagle on the 12th hole, which he credited for boosting his performance. He noted, “Nothing amazing at the start, just a couple solid birdies. I think I just kind of settled in and kept giving myself a bunch of chances. Got pretty lucky, made a nice chip on 12 to make eagle there. I think that kind of booted me into trying to finish as well as I could and see if I could chase these guys. They just kept making birdies, so I was just hoping to just keep climbing up the leaderboard.”
Other players who posted strong rounds included Aaron Wise and Dylan Frittelli, both with 66s. Wise moved into a five-player tie for sixth place at 13 under. This group includes Blades Brown, Germany’s Marcel Schneider, Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen, and Joe Highsmith. Johannes Veerman, who started the round tied for second, fell eight shots behind the leader after a 73, leaving him at 10 under.
Implications of a potential victory
A win at the Corales Puntacana Championship would be significant for Clements. It would grant him PGA Tour status through the 2027 season. Additionally, a victory comes with 300 FedEx Cup points and a winner’s share of $720,000. Clements typically competes on the DP World Tour, where his sole title was the 2023 Czech Masters, which he secured by closing with a 63 to defeat fellow Englishman Matt Wallace by one stroke.
Reflecting on the challenges ahead, Clements remarked, “There’s a lot of golf left to go. I had my fair share of luck a little bit out there this week and that needs to continue for that to happen. But I think we just kind of lean on my past experiences and see where it takes me.” Clements will aim to convert his lead into a victory in the final round today.
Read Also
Source: livingstonenterprise.net
