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Seo Woo Kim lost all five of the five-shot lead he built while flirting with sub-60 history at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
But the 30-year-old South Korean still managed to maintain an edge over several major champions, including hometown favorite and defending champion Scotty Scheffler, heading into the final round.
Kim shot a three-under 68 on Saturday for a two-shot lead over top-ranked Scheffler and 2023 US Open champion Wyndham Clarke, who matched his 65.
“I was thinking about scoring too high like the first 10, 11 holes,” Kim said. “So I’m just trying to come back like yesterday. Yeah, just trying to hit good shots and like, all mojo behind.”
Kim’s countryman, Sungjae Im, had a 67 after a second-round 61 and was two shots back with Stefan Jaeger and Tom Hodge. Jaeger’s 64 at TPC Craig Ranch was the lowest round of the day, and Hoge shot 66.
Zach Bauchou (66) was 16 under, one shot ahead of Brooks Koepka (66) and three others. Koepka, who opened with a 63, is looking for his first win since returning to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf.
Kim, the second-highest ranked player in the field behind No. 24 Scheffler, had a second-round 59 but a bogey on 18 forced him to settle for 60.
His five-shot lead through 36 holes this season was tied for second-largest on tour behind Rory McIlroy’s six-shot edge when he defended his Masters Championship in April.
Three bogeys in a span of four holes – all on putts inside 10 feet – moved the four-time Tour winner into a tie with Clarke at 18 under. Clark earlier pulled within a stroke with a short eagle putt on the par-five ninth.
Clark led off with a scrambling birdie at the par-five 12th, making a 15-foot putt after hitting a bunker shot with his right foot into the grass, his bent right knee nearly touching the ground.
“It’s fun to be in contention,” said Clark, a three-time Tour winner looking for his first win since Pebble Beach in 2024.
“You have to go eight under or one under to win, it’s funny because you’re still feeling the same heat. Tomorrow it’s probably going to be just like that where you have to make a ton of birdies.”
Kim, Scheffler and Clark were tied at 19 under when Kim went ahead with a birdie on the short par-four 14th while Scheffler and Clark settled for par after trying to drive the green.
Clarke got in again, but Kim went ahead for good with a birdie on the par-three 15th.
Four-time major winner Scheffler, who cruised to an eight-shot victory at last year’s Nelson, answered his first bogey of the tournament on the par-three fourth with three birdies in the final five holes on the front nine.
Jordan Spieth, a hometown favorite along with Scheffler, fired a second nine 62 after starting with four bogeys in his first five holes on the back nine and six consecutive birdies. He shot 73.
First-round leader Taylor Moore was back in contention after four consecutive birdies, but went into the water at the 15th and finished with a triple-bogey 6. He shot 69 and was 13 under.
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