PGA TOUR

Si Woo Kim opens four-stroke lead in Wyndham Championship

Si Woo Kim (Kevin C. Cox/ Getty Images)

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Si Woo Kim followed his tournament-record 10-under 60 with a third-round 64 on Saturday to increase his lead to four strokes in the Wyndham Championship.

The 21-year-old South Korean player had an 18-under 192 total at Sedgefield, a stroke off the tournament 54-hole record set by Carl Pettersson in his 2008 victory.

Kim is in contention for his first PGA Tour victory for the second time in a month after losing a playoff to Aaron Baddeley in Alabama in the Barbasol Championship.

“I think tomorrow is much pressure, but I’m just trying to keep confidence. That’s it,” Kim said. “I feel very good now. My shots like much more consistent. Only problem have pressure. … I’m experienced before like Alabama in Barbasol, that’s good experience. Good for tomorrow.”

After making an eagle and eight birdies Friday, Kim played the front nine in 3-under 35 on Saturday with four birdies and a bogey. He added birdies on the par-4 13th, par-5 15th and par-4 18th.

“I feel like really pressure because first time, first time I lead third round, but start very good, first hole and second hole start birdie,” Kim said. “But after little pressure, I felt little better.”

Rafa Cabrera Bello was second after a 65 in the PGA Tour’s regular-season finale. The Spaniard was fifth last week in the Rio Olympics.

“The greens are brilliant,” Cabrera Bello said. “You play good and give yourself chances you will roll putts and that’s what I’m going to try to do tomorrow.”

Jim Furyk, Luke Donald and Kevin Na were 13 under.

Furyk is playing his first event since shooting the first 58 in PGA Tour history Aug. 7 in the Travelers Championship. After playing a three-hole stretch in 4 under with a 60-footer for eagle on 15 and two birdies, he bogeyed the final two holes for a 67.

“Had it rolling and then missed the fairway at 17 and I missed the fairway at 18 and the rough here doesn’t allow you to hit a ball,” Furyk said. “It’s hard to control. I’m disappointed with the two bogeys. Overall, still some good position with the tournament. Need to get over that and play a good round tomorrow.”

Donald scrambled to save par on 18 for a 64.

“I hit a poor tee shot left and had to chip out,” the Englishman said. “I had a good number with a little wedge, stick it to that pin. Would have been disappointing to drop one there after playing so well for the rest of the round.”

Na made a double bogey on 18 for a 67. He hit over the green, chipped off the front edge, and ended up missing a 4-foot par try.

Davis Love III, the tournament winner last year at age 51, is sidelined following hip surgery.

The top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings will qualify for The Barclays next week at Bethpage Black. It the next-to-last chance to earn Ryder Cup points, with the top eight players determined after The Barclays. Love will make his first three captain’s picks Sept. 11 after the BMW Championship. The final pick comes two weeks later after the Tour Championship.

Graeme McDowell, Billy Horschel, Brandt Snedeker and Hideki Matsuyama. McDowell birdied the final four holes for a 64. Horschel also shot 64, Snedeker had a 65, and Matsuyama a 68.

“It’s nice to get the juices flowing a little bit tomorrow,” McDowell said. “I came here for a couple of reasons this week. Obviously, as a bit of a warmup for next week going into the playoffs with Atlanta being my big goal this season and partly to try put myself back on the Ryder Cup radar.”

Patrick Reed had a 64 to move into a tie for 18th at 9 under. The U.S. Olympian won the 2013 event for his first tour title.

“We’re just plugging along,” Reed said. “I just need to tidy it up. It’s close. I go through spurts like today, I went through spurts, nine holes, playing some really solid, pretty good golf and then I go to the back nine and just started getting a little loose. I need to get that better and just kind of figure out a way to tighten it up for all 18, not just nine.”

U.S. teammate Rickie Fowler was tied for 25th at 8 under after a 68. Lucas Glover followed his second-round 61 with a 73 to drop into a tie for 33rd at 7 under.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., collected five birdies on the day, including three across a bogey-free back nine. The 4-under 66 performance moved him into a share of 25th.