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Schauffele leads stellar PGA Tour cast

AAP
Golf fans watch the PGA Tour event from a viewing stand outside Colonial Country Club in Texas.
Camera IconGolf fans watch the PGA Tour event from a viewing stand outside Colonial Country Club in Texas.

The PGA Tour went three months without playing. It took three days to show fans what they were missing, even if all they could do was watch on TV.

Eight players had at least a share of the lead at some point on Saturday in the Charles Schwab Challenge. When the third round at Colonial ended, 14 players were separated by just three shots.

And not just anybody.

Xander Schauffele, among the growing roster of young stars in golf, finished off his six-birdie round with a 12-footer on the last hole for a four-under 66.

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The six players one shot behind included Jordan Spieth, whose short game helped him navigate some early trouble and nerves for a 68 as he tries to end three years without winning.

Also one shot behind were Justin Thomas (66) and US Open champion Gary Woodland, who quickly got into the mix with birdies on his last two holes for a 66.

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Rory McIlroy (69) and Justin Rose (68) were among those three shots behind. Patrick Reed, who had to birdie three of his last six holes Friday to make the cut with one shot to spare, shot 63 and was three back.

All this with hardly any noise.

"I don't have like a huge effect on the crowd I'd say, so not having fans isn't the craziest thing to me," Schauffele said.

"It just does feel like I'm playing at home with some of my buddies. It's quiet. You make three birdies in a row, you can kind of give yourself a pat on the back."

Matt Jones, the only Australian to make the half-way cut, carded a 69 on Saturday to drop down to a share of 33rd at five-under.

This wasn't entirely a TV show. A few houses in the Colonial neighborhood put up their own hospitality tents to see limited golf, the rowdiest behind the 16th tee and another down the 15th fairway.

Fans gathered on the balcony of an apartment complex along the 14th, which also brought out the first, "Get in the hole!" since the PGA Tour returned for the first since since March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Colonial is the first of five tournaments in the return to golf that doesn't allow spectators.

"When you get into contention and have a chance to win a golf tournament, that adrenaline starts pumping," Woodland said. "It's been a little different. The first two days there wasn't too much adrenaline. There will be adrenaline going, which you have with fans or without fans. Tomorrow should be fun."

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