SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Thomas Detry shot a 6-under 65 on Saturday to take a five-shot lead into the final round of the Phoenix Open as he chases his first PGA Tour victory.
Detry had a two-shot lead to start the round after a 64 on Friday and kept rolling with four birdies over his first five holes Saturday in ideal conditions at TPC Scottsdale.
The two-time Belgian Olympian made a 19-foot par putt on the par-4 18th to finish at 18-under 195 on the Stadium Course.
Jordan Spieth — hunting his first tour win since 2022 — was among four players tied for second. He had a bogey-free 67, scrambling for par on 18 after hitting into bunkers on his drive and again on his second shot.
Rasmus Hojgaard, Daniel Berger and Michael Kim also were 13 under.
Hojgaard shot a 65 after shaking off a double bogey on 15 and finishing with back-to-back birdies. Berger shot 66, making an eagle on 15 and birdies on 16 and 18. Kim had a 68.
Detry cooled off after the torrid start, but had a few good scrambles to keep his advantage. His best save might have been on the par-5 13th, when his tee shot went into the native area behind a short cactus. He managed to get the ball back onto the fairway on his second shot and eventually saved par.
Another good save came on the par-4 18th when he drove the ball into the bunker. He ended up scrambling for the par, sinking a 19-foot putt as the crowd roared its approval.
Maverick McNealy — who won his first tour title at the The RSM Classic late last year — shot up the leaderboard with a 63 and had a streak of four straight birdies on holes five through eight. He was sixth at 12 under.
Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler — the 2022 and 2023 winner — closed with a birdie for a 68. He was eight shots behind Detry.
Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ontario, moved up 40 spots into a tie for 12th at 9 under after a third round of 65. Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., is also at 9 under after shooting 1-under 70 Saturday.
Nick Taylor of Abbotsford (70) and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., (71) were at 7 under, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., (71) was at 6 under and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., (73) was at 2 under.
The 32-year-old Detry, the 2016 Big Ten champion for Illinois, has played well this season, making the cut in all four events. He finished fifth at The Sentry and tied for 15th at the Farmers Insurance Open. The fast start isn’t totally unexpected — he had four top 10s and was second at the Houston Open last year.
The perfect weather — highs in the 70s and plenty of sunshine — brought out huge crowds to the famously raucous event. The most-attended day of the tournament is traditionally Saturday.
But TPC Scottsdale avoided a scene like last year, when officials had to close the gates and limit alcohol sales, partly because of the boozy atmosphere but also because of wet weather that meant fans couldn't walk on the grass. The tension boiled over at times, with Billy Horschel and Zach Johnson yelling at unruly fans.
In response to the debacle, organizers stepped up the law enforcement presence and added a new entrance to help alleviate some of the clogged sidewalks near the main gate. There are no longer any-day tickets so tournament officials can track sales and prevent overcrowding. Several walkways were widened at high-traffic areas.
The changes seemed to have their desired effect. There was still plenty of revelry — particularly at the party-friendly 16th hole — but it was nowhere close to last year's mayhem.
“Previous years, it started to get a little out of hand, but right now it's in a sweet spot," McNealy said. “This is something that would be fun every week on the PGA Tour.”
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
David Brandt, The Associated Press