Day 3 at the 3M Open: Notes, quotes and anecdotes
The 18th hole played to the highest par-5 average to par on the PGA Tour this season.
July 24, 2021 at 11:27PM
![Camilo Villegas hits from the rough at the 18th hole during the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities on Thursday, July 23, 2021 in Blaine. ] ANTRANIK TAVITIAN • anto.tavitian@startribune.com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/G3RLU3PFJVJ5MJWAB56TI4U6JA.jpg?&w=712)
Keep that card
Beau Hossler: Showing he knows how to go low, Hossler fought off tight pin placements and a pesky wind to shoot the round of the day, a 6-under-par 65. That has him in position to pick up just his second top-10 finish of the season.
Toss that card
Adam Hadwin: The co-leader to begin Saturday, Hadwin quickly dropped well below the top by playing the first three holes 3 over par. He got those back with a brief birdie run to open the back nine but finished the day with a second double bogey for a 2-over 73.
On the course with ...
Cameron Tringale: The leader heading into the final round fired a bogey-free 5-under 66 on Saturday and he has some marvelous shots to thank. On No. 16, Tringale put his tee shot on the driveable par-4 alongside a bunker some 45 yards from the hole. Unfazed, Tringale swept through the deep rough and pitched the ball within 2 feet of the cup and tapped in the birdie. Then on No. 18 Tringale made a masterpiece out of a mess. He Houdinied his way to a par despite putting his drive next to the cart path and his next two shots into the rough — one off the fairway and one behind the green. A 7-foot par putt capped the magic.
3M Open moment
A buzzphrase around TPC Twin Cities this week has been the "risk/reward" of the 18th hole. Saturday, it was all risk with little reward. The 18th hole played to 5.486 — the highest par-5 average to par on the PGA Tour this season. Sung Kang felt the biggest brunt, rinsing four balls in the water and carding a septuple bogey 12. About an hour later, J.T. Poston rolled up a pantleg and hacked a shot from the water's edge to no avail, eventually settling for a triple bogey. In the day's final group Bo Hoag also dipped his feet in for a shot. "Today was the first day that it was borderline basically not being able to reach," said Charl Schwartzel, who was happy to walk away with a par.
Chip shots
- Spring Lake Park graduate Troy Merritt begins Sunday tied for 16th place after a 1-under 70 while former Gophers golfer Erik van Rooyen limped to a 75 and is in 71st place out of 72 golfers.
- Rickie Fowler was 6 under on his round through 10 holes but finished with a 1-under 70. This week he's played Nos. 1-12 in 11 under and Nos. 13-18 in 5 over.
- Hank Lebioda, who was 4 under par through two rounds, withdrew before teeing off Saturday citing personal reasons.
Hole of the day
No. 16, 303-yard par-4: Tour officials moved the tee up more than 100 yards from the scorecard yardage and players feasted; it played to an average of exactly 3.5 shots.
Tweet of the day
"How many golfers have a chance to win this tomorrow? At least 20? #3MOpen" — @Breezy_PTB
Quote of the day
"This course needs a little bit of defense that way." — Pat Perez, on Saturday's blustery conditions.
Frankie Capan III, who will be playing on the PGA Tour next year, finished at 13 under par at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship.
