Si Woo Kim takes sole lead after PGA Tour third round... head-to-head showdown with world No. 1 Scheffler

[The Financial News] Si Woo Kim of CJ Group has cleared a major hurdle in his bid for a fifth career PGA Tour title. Standing between him and the trophy is current world No. 1 and dominant force Scottie Scheffler of the United States.
On the 25th at La Quinta Country Club (par 72) in La Quinta, California, Kim carded seven birdies and one bogey for a 6-under 66 in the third round of The American Express on the PGA Tour. With a three-round total of 22-under 194, he surged from a tie for third into sole possession of the lead.
Scottie Scheffler and teenage sensation Blades Brown, who share second place at 21-under 195, are just one shot back. Kim is now on the verge of adding his first trophy in three years since his victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January 2023, and reclaiming the throne at this event five years after he won The American Express in 2021.
Kim’s round was a blend of laser-like iron play and a red-hot putter. Starting on the 10th hole, he picked up three shots on his opening nine and then found another gear coming home. A bogey at the par-3 3rd briefly slowed his momentum, but he immediately responded with three straight birdies at the par-4 4th, par-5 5th and par-5 6th to seize the outright lead.


On both the 4th and 6th holes, he drained birdie putts from beyond 10 meters, drawing gasps from the gallery. The decisive final round is shaping up to be a direct showdown with world No. 1 Scheffler. Playing the PGA WEST Pete Dye Stadium Course, Scheffler shot 4-under to close the gap to just one stroke behind Kim.
Rising 2007-born rookie Blades Brown also cannot be overlooked. After his round, Kim said, "The wind was tricky, but overall it was a very good round," adding, "My putting has felt great over the last two days, and that really helped."
Speaking about his duel with Scheffler, he noted, "This is a course where I have a lot of good memories. Rather than obsessing over the win, I’ll go out there, enjoy the battle with Scheffler, and just play my game," showing the composure of a seasoned veteran.
The decisive final round will be played on the notoriously demanding PGA WEST Pete Dye Stadium Course (par 72). All eyes are on whether Kim can fend off the charge of the world No. 1 and roar once again on what has become his "promised land."
Meanwhile, Kim Seong-hyeon, who had been near the top through two rounds, slipped back after losing two shots on the day to sit at 13-under 203 and a tie for 37th. Kim Joo-hyung (Tom Kim) is tied for 50th at 12-under 204, while rookie Lee Seung-taek failed to make the cut.


jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter