Justin Thomas has blown the field away in the BMW Championship at Medinah, but Adam Scott’s strong season-long form has continued, while Jason Day’s season is effectively over.
Thomas smashed the course record in his third-round 61, beginning with five consecutive birdies and holing out from 160 metres for eagle at the par-four 16th hole.
He leads by six shots with a round to play in Chicago and is within touching distance of his first win of the season.
Scott is tied-18th after a third consecutive under-par round, but at nine-under and 12 shots back, is well out of the running. Still, the Australian will be content in the knowledge that whatever happens tomorrow, he is in the field of 30 for the Tour Championship in Atlanta next week.
So is Marc Leishman, who found form with a 67 today, but Jason Day, who needed a top-five finish in Chicago this week is tied-36th and headed home barring a miracle tomorrow.
Another notable performance today came from Tiger Woods (67), whose position in the USA’s Presidents Cup team is up for grabs.
The two groups of eight qualifiers for the Cup at Royal Melbourne in December will be determined tomorrow morning, based on Fedex Cup points. There will be a later discretionary selection of four players for each team from those who did not automatically qualify.
But Woods’ decent form after he had to withdraw last week raises hopes that he could still play in the Presidents Cup, where he is the USA captain.