NEW YORK-Webb Simpson was forced to make some room at the top of the leaderboard after the third round of the RBC Heritage in South Carolina on Saturday, with a four-way tie for first injecting drama into Sunday’s finale.
The 2012 US Open champion played a solid round with four birdies and a bogey, but it was not enough to fend off Briton Tyrrell Hatton, who had eight birdies on a day of stellar putting to equal Webb’s three-day, 15-under par effort. “I think I’ve only missed one putt inside six feet in three days,” Hatton told reporters. “Holing out has been really good and been pretty solid from inside 20 feet, which is nice, and I hope that continues tomorrow.”
Rounding out the four-way tie for first were Abraham Ancer and Ryan Palmer, who shot six and five under par respectively, with 11 other golfers all within two strokes of first place heading into the final round. Daniel Berger, who walked away with the winner’s plaid jacket at last weekend’s Colonial, hit nine birdies for eight under par, sitting one stroke behind first place.
The fierce competition on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, showed there was little rust left to shake off as the PGA Tour returned to action last week after a three-month, hiatus due to the coronavirus outbreak. American Nick Watney withdrew after testing positive for COVID-19 at the second round on Friday, rattling some golfers on the tour.