Low Scores, High Drama, and Sunday Showdowns
Welcome to Day 3 of the Zurich Classic, where the birdies outnumbered the bogeys, and the leaderboard shuffled more than a tour pro’s playlist on a long flight. Fourball play came back into the mix at TPC Louisiana on Saturday, and with it, the scoring went from “impressive” to “are these guys even human?” Let’s break down who crushed it, who cracked under pressure, and how the final day might unfold.
Saturday Showstoppers
It’s official. Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin came to play. These two are riding a heater hotter than the Louisiana sun. They combined for an 11-under 61 and now sit at 27-under. Forget just playing well as a team; these dudes were matching birdies like they were competing against each other. Griffin dropped not one, but TWO closing birdies to give them a three-shot lead going into Sunday. Add in Novak’s third chip-in of the week (yes, THIRD), and it’s hard not to root for this breakout duo who’ve never sniffed a PGA Tour win before.
Did someone say “Moving Day”? Meet Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, the defending champs, who went full gas pedal on Saturday with a scorching 61 of their own. A weather delay might have ruined someone else’s rhythm, but not Rory’s. He casually drained a 30-foot eagle putt on 18 after the pause because, well, he’s Rory. Now sitting at 22-under and tied for sixth, they’ll be coming into Sunday like your overly competitive uncles at a family scramble.
But wait, there’s more. The Højgaard twins (aka Nicolai and Rasmus, aka the Wonder Twins) fired a tidy 64 to reach 23-under, and they’re sitting in prime position to pounce in the alt-shot finale. You don’t want to find these two breathing down your neck when pars start feeling like bogeys.
Those Who Surged, Those Who Slipped
This ain’t a great time to be Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo, who went from leading the field like bosses to falling out of contention faster than a shanked wedge. After setting jaws on the floor with their Day 1 record-breaking 58, they cooled way down on Moving Day, posting a 66 that stuck them in T4 at 23-under. Still, they’ve shown flashes of brilliance and could be wild-card threats on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Jake Knapp and Frankie Capan III threw down a ridiculous 12-under 60 to vault themselves into T2 at 24-under, tying with Ryo Hisatsune and Takumi Kanaya, because apparently no one bothered to tell these guys that rookies aren’t supposed to storm leaderboards.
On the flip side, several teams who were riding high on Friday decided to just… not show up. Bridgeman/Phillips barely made a peep with a pedestrian 4-under round, and Team “what happened here” (Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala) stumbled early before rallying.
Trends from Day 3
ICYMI, Fourball play is basically Christmas morning for golfers at TPC Louisiana. With soft greens from overnight rain and pins as inviting as mom’s home cooking, the field went nuclear. The numbers don’t lie: those who diced the par 4s and crushed the par 5s stole the show (looking at you, Novak and Griffin). On the flip side, teams struggling with approach shots were sent packing.
The foursome format (also affectionately known as “test your friendships”) roars back for Sunday. That means disaster potential skyrockets, and there’s little room for one off-the-rails shot. Teams that keep it dead-center and lean on steady short games will shine.
The Favorites and The X-Factors
- Andrew Novak & Ben Griffin should sleep well tonight knowing they’re in the driver’s seat. But alternate shot is an unforgiving beast. Survivors of Friday’s foursome round (a cool 66 from them) suggest they might just have ice in their veins.
- The Højgaards are like sharks in the water. They feasted on the greens Saturday after a meh Friday, and if they start dropping putts early on Sunday, you might as well hand them the trophy.
- McIlroy and Lowry are out here lurking like pros who’ve done this a million times (because they have). If they fix the back-nine brain-farts from Friday, the Irish duo could absolutely repeat.
- Hisatsune and Kanaya epitomize consistency, making zero noise yet staying close enough to pounce. Watch these guys if the leaders falter.
Gut Predictions
Golf is chaos, so here’s how I see it shaking out. Novak and Griffin could be clutching the winner’s champagne unless nerves kick in (more than possible when catching your first PGA Tour dub). If that happens, I’m betting on Rory’s eagle swagger and Lowry’s gritty steady play to pull off the ultimate Sunday heist.
Final podium prediction?
- McIlroy/Lowry
- Højgaard/Højgaard
- Novak/Griffin
Whatever happens, Sunday’s Zurich Classic finale promises absurd shot-making, emotional rollercoasters, and plenty of “what just happened?!” moments. Fire up your TVs, grab refreshments, and settle in. This is going to be good. And hey, maybe don’t blink. You might miss the shot of the year.
