FedEx Cup Play: Akshay Bhatia stayed in the Top-15 after a steady even-par 70 in the third round of the BMW Championship, while fellow Hero-supported Sahith Theegala and Aaron Rai are sure to exit the FedEx Cup Play-offs.Bhatia, who made two birdies and two bogeys at Bellerive Country Club, is tied 15th on the leaderboard and projected to remain 15th in the FedExCup standings. Only the top 30 after the BMW Championship will advance to the season-ending TOUR Championship in Atlanta.
Rai carded a four-under 67 to move to tied 23rd, but is projected to drop to 39th in the FedExCup standings. Theegala shot a three-under 68 and is tied 45th, with his projected standing at 49th. Both have almost no chance to break into the top 30.
Bhatia is currently the only one of the three projected to make it through to Atlanta.
At the top of the leaderboard, Wyndham Clark recovered spectacularly from an opening-hole double bogey to take a commanding five-shot lead into the final round.
The defending U.S. Open champion responded to his early setback with five birdies and an eagle during an eight-hole stretch, closing with a five-under 65. He is now in position to claim his third victory of the season.
Clark had been bogey-free over the opening 36 holes before trouble struck on the first. His tee shot found thick rough, his second also missed the fairway, and he subsequently came up short of the green before missing a seven-foot putt for double bogey.
He quickly turned things around, however, making birdie on the seventh before producing the highlight of his round at the par-five eighth, where he hit a five-wood to 12 feet and converted for eagle. He added a 30-foot birdie putt on the 10th and further birdies at the 11th, 13th and 14th to surge clear.
Rory McIlroy shot a 65 and Patrick Cantlay a 66 to share second place. McIlroy closed with three successive birdies before making a crucial par save from a bunker on the 18th. He remains five shots behind Clark but believes another low round could give him a chance on Sunday.
Gary Woodland, chasing a return to the TOUR Championship, carded a 70 and is tied fourth with Chris Gotterup, six shots off the pace.
Sunday will also settle the six automatic qualification spots for the U.S. Presidents Cup team. Clark appears well positioned to qualify, while Ben Griffin’s 68 left him tied 35th and put his hopes of an automatic spot under pressure.
Article Source: IANS
