Davis Riley carded a seven-under 63 on Saturday to move to 15 under, taking a one-shot lead into the final round of the Rocket Classic in Detroit. He finished his round with back-to-back birdies, including a 54-foot putt and a 10-footer, to overtake Michael Brennan.
Brennan had a solid round with seven birdies but bogeyed the 18th hole after missing a nine-foot putt, losing his share of the lead. Rasmus Hojgaard, Chris Kirk, Rickie Fowler, and Cameron Young are three strokes behind, while Xander Schauffele is a stroke further back going into Sunday's final round. Riley is chasing his third career win and his first since the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge, which would also secure his spot in the postseason. He currently ranks 146th in the FedEx Cup standings after missing 10 cuts, including last week's 3M Open.
With only two tournaments remaining before the top 70 advance to the playoffs, Riley sees this as an opportunity to turn his season around. Earlier in the season, he had a chance to win the Sony Open but closed with a 71 and finished sixth. 'There have been many ups and downs,' Riley said, 'but I'm excited to have a chance now that things are coming together.' Hojgaard matched the course record with a 61, becoming the third player in as many days to achieve this feat, before Riley's birdies put him ahead.
Hojgaard is seeking his first PGA Tour win after missing the cut in his last three starts. Young also matched the course record on the second day, sharing the lead at the halfway stage, but had a more challenging round on Saturday with a 68. The final round of the Rocket Classic will be broadcast on Sky Sports Golf on Sunday from 7pm.