Live leaderboard: Round 3 of RBC Heritage

• COURSE: East Lake Golf Club, 7,385 yards, par 70. The original home of the Atlanta Athletic Club, the course opened in 1908 as a Tom Bendelow design and was revamped five years later by Donald Ross. It’s best known as the place where Bobby Jones learned the game, shooting 80 by age 11 and later stamping his name in history by completing the 1930 Grand Slam. East Lake hosted the 1950 U.S. Women’s Amateur and 1963 Ryder Cup before a decaying neighborhood sent members moving to the north suburbs. The AAC itself followed in 1967, leaving East Lake in the hands of 25 members opposed to the move. A revival began in 1993 when a partnership was formed to restore the club as a tribute to Jones. The TOUR Championship came to East Lake for the first time in 1998, becoming the annual host in 2004. • FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 2,000 points. • CHARITY: The East Lake Foundation, established in 1995 to spearhead revitalization of the neighborhood surrounding the historic course. The foundation has spurred such projects as the Charles R. Drew Charter School, East Lake Family YMCA and Charlie Yates Golf Course. Funding also is directed to The First Tee. • FIELD WATCH: FedExCup leader Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, separated by just 27 points entering the BMW Championship, headline the 30-man lineup in pursuit of a $10 million bonus for the season champ. World No.1 Dustin Johnson rounds out a strong headline trio. … At least 11 members of the U.S. Presidents Cup roster are projected to tee it up at East Lake, with Phil Mickelson the only one needing to play his way in at Conway Farms. … The International team will send Hideki Matsuyama, Marc Leishman, Jhonattan Vegas, Adam Hadwin and Louis Oosthuizen to Atlanta, with Jason Day on the bubble. • 72-HOLE RECORD: 257, Tiger Woods (2007). • 18-HOLE RECORD: 60, Zach Johnson (3rd round, 2007). • LAST YEAR: Rory McIlroy took home the $10 million season crown with his second victory in three weeks, going four extra holes to survive a wild finish with Ryan Moore and Kevin Chappell. McIlroy fired a 6-under-par 64 to get into the playoff, getting a lift at No.16 when his wedge from 137 yards found the cup. Still, Moore had a chance to win in regulation – and give Johnson the FedExCup – but an 8-foot birdie try at the par-5 18th grazed the edge. Chappell held a two-shot lead with two holes to play when he bogeyed No.17 – just his third of the week – while McIlroy and Moore birdied ahead. The playoff began with McIlroy facing a 6-foot eagle putt, but he missed while Moore drained a 10-foot birdie. Moore’s silver lining was selection to the final spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, where he later tallied the clinching point at Hazeltine National. • STORYLINES: Spieth, Thomas and Johnson are assured of heading to East Lake among the top five in points, allowing them to capture the FedExCup simply by winning the finale. Matsuyama and Jon Rahm have the inside track to the other top-five spots, though the winner at Conway Farms also figures to be in the mix. … Points are reset after the BMW Championship, allowing everyone a mathematical chance of claiming the crown. For No.30 to win, though, the points leader would have to finish in the bottom two at East Lake. … Barring a top-4 finish from McIlroy at Conway Farms, it’ll mark the eighth time in 10 years that the reigning FedExCup champ hasn’t defended at East Lake. The exceptions: Brandt Snedeker in 2013 and Spieth last year. • SHORT CHIPS: Each of the past seven FedExCup champions have done so while winning the TOUR Championship. The last one who didn’t was Tiger Woods, who claimed the 2009 crown while second to Mickelson on the East Lake leaderboard. … Last year’s playoff was the longest in the TOUR Championship’s 30-year history. In 2011, Bill Haas went three extra holes to outlast Hunter Mahan for the twin trophies. … Mickelson is eyeing what would be his 19th TOUR Championship start, extending his own record. • TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 1-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. (GC), 2:30-6 p.m. (NBC). Sunday, noon-1:30 p.m. (GC), 1:30-6 p.m. (NBC). • PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (featured groups), 1-6 p.m. (featured holes). Saturday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (featured holes). • RADIO: Thursday-Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Saturday, 1-7 p.m.; Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).

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What a weekend. Rory McIlroy continued his incredible 2019 with another victory at the World Golf Championships – HSBC Champions. That makes it four wins in his last 15 PGA TOUR starts. The reigning FedExCup champion probably wishes the 2020 season of championships was right around the corner. But that wasn’t the only story this past week. Brendon Todd completed a serious career turnaround with his win at the Bermuda Championship. Todd had entered the 2019 calendar year having made the cut in just six of his previous 47 starts. From the depths of the yips, Todd never gave up, and now he is a winner again. Welcome to the Monday Finish. THREE KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. A commitment to forward progress. Rory McIlroy – like most humans – has learned plenty as he matures in life. Now 30, McIlroy has decided the best way to increase his legacy is to go hard or go home. There is no protecting leads anymore for McIlroy. It’s just foot to the floor with trust in his aggressive style. After 54 holes in China, McIlroy sat in the lead and had just one strategy in mind: keep making birdies. He did just that. At the end of 72 holes, he still had the lead, albeit shared with defending champion Xander Schauffele. But when they went to a playoff and McIlroy drew the chance to hit first, he once again thought nothing but aggression. “I knew that was the big moment because I could hit a drive down the fairway and put the pressure on him,â€� McIlroy said. And that’s what he did with a booming drive that would lead to an easy birdie. Schauffele couldn’t match it and his brave charge ended. Read more about McIlroy’s 18th PGA TOUR win here. 2. Consistency and confidence. Fresh off one of the best statistical seasons ever on the PGA TOUR, McIlroy continues to produce beautiful, consistent golf. After the third round, his confidence came shining through when he said, “Right now, the game feels pretty simple.â€� In China, his accuracy was actually fairly average as he hit just 34 of 56 fairways and 52 of 72 greens. Usually he is dominating with the driver and striping his approaches from great spots. But this season, in his two starts, the consistency has come in scoring. McIlroy has notched a top-10 finish in 16 of his last 21 starts on the PGA TOUR. He opened the 2019-20 season with a 2-over 72 in Japan. His highest score in the seven rounds since is 68. He’s 34 under in those seven rounds, making just eight bogeys in that span and averaging 66.3 strokes per round. 3. Never give up. We now pivot to the key factor for Brendon Todd and his sublime effort at the Bermuda Championship. After he won the 2014 AT&T Byron Nelson, you could not have scripted the path Todd would take. In 2015-16, he missed 25 of 29 cuts. His spiral would send him outside the top 2000 in the world. The journey is a long and detailed one. Read about it all here. But the bottom line is, on Sunday in Bermuda, Todd started in contention and his comeback was put under final round pressure. His response? A 9-under 62 and a four-shot win. No matter how bad it gets, you can always find a way to fight your way out. OBSERVATIONS Time is now up for Presidents Cup hopefuls to prove themselves. Tiger Woods and Ernie Els will make their four captain’s picks each later this week to round out their squads of 12 for the showdown at Royal Melbourne Dec. 12-15. On the U.S. side of the coin, Woods is expected to pick himself after his incredible record-tying 82nd PGA TOUR win in Japan. Others in line include Gary Woodland, who finished behind Woods at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler, Kevin Kisner, Chez Reavie and Patrick Reed. Reed left a decent last impression with a final round 66 in China. On the International side of the coin, PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year Sungjae Im continued to impress in China with a T11 finish. Byeong Hun An, Jazz Janewattananond and Corey Conners also tried to make late claims. Jason Day was dormant this week, and aside from a Japan Skins win, didn’t set the world on fire on the Asian swing, but should still garner a spot. Joaquin Niemann’s win at A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier has him in good shape. Branden Grace will need to rely on past deeds after his poor form continued with a missed cut in Bermuda. Read more on the contenders here.  Xander Schauffele is better than most people still give him credit for. Despite having the flu all week, Schauffele found his way into a playoff in his World Golf Championships – HSBC Champions title defense. He had to birdie two late holes, including the 72nd, to get it to extra holes against Rory McIlroy. He’s a feisty bulldog and the PGA TOUR is lucky to have him. It won’t be long before he will be a winner again, and it will be no surprise if it comes at THE PLAYERS or a major championship. “My time will come. Looking forward to getting healthy. Not coughing. Sleeping,â€� he said. “It was a lot of fun and I’m glad I tried to put on a show for everyone out here.â€� Haotong Li will take valuable experience from his home event. The 25-year-old took the first round lead in Shanghai, and despite some dips from there, found himself right in the mix early Saturday in the third round. Five birdies in six holes had him rejoin the lead and the possibility of the first Chinese winner of a World Golf Championship was in the cards. But as quickly as he moved into contention, he dove out of it. Five bogeys and a triple bogey later, Li’s dreams were over. The lesson here was brutal. And will sting a while. But if Li can harness it and react differently, the next time his adrenalin kicks in, the value will be limitless. He will be a vital cog in the International Presidents Cup team in December. QUOTEBOARD “Maybe more so than say when I first came out on TOUR, I try 100 per cent over every shot, I think because I realize I don’t have as much time left as I used to when I was 20. Even if I’m having a bad day, I’m trying over every single shot. My concentration is better and my mental capacity on the golf course is much better than it ever has been, and I think that’s a big key to why I’m able to play consistently week-in, week-out.â€� – Rory McIlroy after his win. “I was talking to my manager about potentially opening up another business.â€� – Brendon Todd talking about getting near giving up before fighting on and ultimately winning again. “Unfortunately a good attitude doesn’t make you hit it 350. But I tried, I tried my best. Played great. I did. I beat him on the day just to get in a playoff, and a little bit of déjà vu unfortunately and I couldn’t pull it off.â€� – Xander Schauffele after his runner up finish to McIlroy. “To come out and play like I did on Sunday, the day that really matters, to go out and shoot a low one… I know at the end of the day, Tiger will pick the guys he feels like are the best for the team to help win the Cup.â€� – Patrick Reed with a last ditch plea to captain Tiger Woods.

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IRVING, Texas – News and notes from Saturday’s third round of the AT&T Byron Nelson, with James Hahn taking a one-shot lead after shooting a 6-under 64. Click here for more from TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas. LEADERS NEED YOUR SUPPORT James Hahn is the tournament leader. That puts him in Sunday’s final group with his closest pursuer, Billy Horschel. He wonders if anybody will be watching. After all, Jason Day is in the group immediately ahead of the leaders. Sergio Garcia is in the group ahead of that. Both are past Byron Nelson champions and currently ranked inside the world’s top five. Meanwhile, FedExCup leader and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson will also start inside the top 20 on the leaderboard. “With DJ and Jason Day,â€� Hahn said, “… I don’t think there’s going to be people watching the final group tomorrow.â€� OK, Hahn was only joking … sort of. That’s certainly a lot of notable firepower going into a final round that could very well become a shootout. But perhaps playing in the shadows of the bigger names will be beneficial. After all, Hahn has won a TOUR event in each of the last two years, both against stellar fields. He’s in his fifth full season on TOUR. He’s ready to handle the pressure of his second 54-hole lead (he tied for third after leading the 2013 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am). “I think having the lead in the golf tournament in itself creates a lot of anxiety and nerves,â€� Hahn said. “If you weren’t nervous leading a golf tournament, there’s probably something wrong with you. I welcome the opportunity. For me, it’s just another test.â€� As for Horschel, he’s chasing after his first win since claiming the 2014 TOUR Championship and the FedExCup. Earlier this season, he was among five players making a playoff at The RSM Classic but was eliminated on the first extra holes. Since the start of the new year, though, he’s rarely been in the mix. He came into this week having missed four consecutive cuts – his longest streak since his rookie season in 2011. But thanks to three consecutive birdies to end his round Saturday, Horschel now has a chance to end his drought after his 4-under 66. “It’s great to be back in the final group,â€� Horschel said. “It’s been a little while. The last four to six weeks hasn’t been ideal for me.â€� Horschel said he found something positive last Friday at THE PLAYERS Championship when he shot 76 after enduring some bad breaks. He left TPC Sawgrass feeling better about his game and the direction it was headed. After three rounds in the 60s this week, his outlook seems to be warranted. “Just felt like this is a turning point,â€� Horschel said. “We’re going to look back at the end of this season and [consider] the second round of PLAYERS Championship [as] the turning point for my season.â€� While the bigger crowds may be elsewhere, Hahn and Horschel should have fun. Both use PXG equipment. In fact, Hahn already was in prime promotion mode Saturday night. “Go PXG,â€� he said. “Buy some clubs. They work.â€� DEFENDING CHAMP IS LURKING Prior to Saturday’s third round, Sergio Garcia told his fiancée, Angela Akins, that he needed to shoot a 65 to get back into contention. He went one better. Thanks to six birdies in his final eight holes, Garcia’s 6-under 64 has him just four shots off the lead. That gives him a chance to successfully defend his AT&T Byron Nelson title. He can also become just the third player in tournament history to win this event three times. The other two are Tom Watson and Sam Snead. “If I can play the same way I played the last couple of days and hopefully put another good round, see what happens,â€� said this year’s Masters champ. “… Still going to be a little bit of ground there to make up, quite a bit more than I would like to. “Obviously that 73 in the first round, it put me in that position. But at least we’re able to put two really solid rounds yesterday and today and hopefully into tomorrow.â€� SHOT OF THE DAY VANISHING FIVE-SHOT LEAD Jason Kokrak entered Saturday’s third round with a five-shot lead, the largest in tournament history. It didn’t last long. Kokrak suffered a triple-bogey at the par-3 fifth and by the time he reached the turn, he had been tied by James Hahn and then Jason Day. Give credit to Kokrak for plugging the leak, though, as he played the next 11 holes in 2 under before a late bogey dropped him into a tie for third with Day. His 72 was the highest third-round score of the top 29 players on the leaderboard. “I’m definitely not out of this golf tournament,â€� Kokrak said. “… I’d rather be stalking people than any other way. … I’m happy with where I’m at.â€� Kokrak said the fifth hole meltdown was caused by new sod in front of a greenside bunker. Instead of being able to splash out of the bunker, he had an awkward lie on the grass. His second shot finished on the other side of the green. After chipping on with his third shot, he then three-putted. “One of those things that happens in golf,â€� Kokrak said. “It was a bad break. If it’s in the bottom of the bunker, it’s not really that hard of a bunker shot. Maybe at worse make bogey there.â€� CALL OF THE DAY   ODDS AND ENDS Dustin Johnson’s 1-over 71 snapped a streak of 14 consecutive par-or-better rounds at the AT&T Byron Nelson. He’ll enter the final round seven shots off the lead. “I’ve got to go out and be aggressive and try to get you a low number,â€� Johnson said. “There’s some good scores to be shot out here at this golf course. I felt like I’m hitting it good enough, if I can roll some putts in tomorrow I’ll shoot a really low number.â€� … Jason Dufner certainly has good vibes here, having won in 2012 and posting two other top-10 finishes. His third-round 65 – which included an eagle at the par-5 16th from inside 7 feet – moved him into a tie for sixth at 8 under. He said he’s a little sad that Sunday will be the final round at this course before the tournament moves to Trinity Forest next year. “In good position going into tomorrow,â€� Dufner said. “Maybe we can send it out with a win.â€� … The 54-hole leader/co-leader has won just four times in the last nine years in this event: Adam Scott in 2008, Dufner in 2012, Brendon Todd in 2014, Steven Bowditch in 2015. … The largest come-from-behind victory after 54 holes is four strokes: Keegan Bradley in 2011, John Cook in 1998, Bob Eastwood in 1985 and Lanny Wadkins in 1973. BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA That’s golf. ⛳ï¸�#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/cVP1B8O480— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 20, 2017 Lots of contenders making moves on Saturday. With 5 birdies in his last 7 holes, @TheSergioGarcia is one of them.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/iNm33TgJQK— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 20, 2017 Three in a row to finish. ðŸ�¦ðŸ�¦ðŸ�¦@BillyHo_Golf books his tee time for the final group on Sunday.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/EEYFfwo6Zl— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 20, 2017

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