The American Xander Sc Chaudele, N.5 world, retains the controls of the Olympic golf tournament, after the third round played on Saturday at the Country Club of Kasumigaseki, followed by the local idol Hideki Matsuyama.
More than a stroke separates the two rivals for the gold medal at the Tokyo Games. The fight could be tight on Sunday on the greens, especially since on Saturday, it was at the 18th hole that ScHotele took the lead on his own, scoring his fifth birdie of the day (two bogeys). By this means he made an honorable card of 68 is -3, while Matsuyama, who was two lengths before this round, was able to do slightly better with five birdies coming to erase an entry bogey, to finish at -4. Behind the Japanese, 20th in the world, who has become a hero in Japan since his coronation at the Augusta Masters in April, is a duo made up of the Briton Paul Casey (N.22) and the Mexican Carlos Ortiz (61st).
Only two lengths from ScHotele, Casey and Ortiz also retain their chances for the final victory. Just like the next four who share 5th place with three strokes: the Irishman Rory McIlroy, the Chilean Mito Pereira, the Colombian Carlos Munoz and the Austrian Sepp Straka. On the other hand, the task promises to be complicated for the American Collin Morikawa (N.3), fresh winner of the last British Open, despite a slight rise to 17th place, 7 strokes from ScHotele.
For the Blues, dreams of medals fade away. Romain la, ngasque is 32nd at -5 seven strokes from the podium. Very complicated day for Antoine Rozner who suffered this Saturday. His 73 (+2) took him down from 15th to 42nd place.
»READ ALSO – Le leaderboard complet
Provisional ranking of the 3rd round of the Olympic tournament (par 71):
1. Xander Schauffele (USA) -14 (68-63-68)
2. Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) -13 (69-64-67)
3. Paul Casey (GBR) -12 (67-68-66)
. Carlos Ortiz (MEX) -12 (65-67-69)
5. Sebastian Munoz (COL) -11 (67-69-66)
. Rory McIlroy (IRL) -11 (69-66-67)
. Mito Pereira (CHI) -11 (69-65-68)
. Sepp Straka (AUT) -11 (63-71-68)
9. Tommy Fleetwood (GBR) -10 (70-69-74)
10. Shane Lowry (IRL) -10 (70-65-69)
…
17. Collin Morikawa (USA) -7 (69-70-67)
. Sungjae Im (KOR) -7 (70-73-63)
32. Romain Langasque (FRA) -5 (69-70-69)
. Viktor Hovland (NOR) -5 (68-69-71)
38. Si Woo Kim (KOR) -4 (68-71-70)
. Patrick Reed (USA) -4 (68-71-70)
. Justin Thomas (USA) -4 (71-70-68)
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