Two things have becoDeChambeme very clear on the third day of the LIV Golf South Africa. The first is that it is very hard to get at Bryson DeChambeau (-21) when he is inspired. The second is that it is tremendously difficult to shake off Jon Rahm (-18) and David Puig (-17) when they go hunting. Both are equally true. For that reason, the fourth and final day in Steyn City promises to be thrilling. A top-level showdown between the bomber and the Spaniards. Between the two big stars of LIV Golf and the Spaniard who aspires to be one and is getting closer every day. And if any extra ingredient were needed, Branden Grace (-19) and Dean Burmester (-18) are lurking about. As if the noisy (this one really is) first LIV meeting with South Africa needed any more colour
DeChambeau is not easing off the gas. Today he was nowhere near signing that 58 he says he feels is close. However, it is more than enough for him to keep accumulating birdies, avoiding mistakes and maintaining a lead that has always been under threat but has never been surrendered. Mainly because, once again, his start to the round was explosive. He holed a great birdie putt on the 1st and again holed another from outside on the 5th for eagle. You would think the tournament, the week, is made for him
That three-under stretch across five holes shot him back into the lead, but he did not quite finish the job. He made a fantastic eagle on the 10th and another birdie on the 18th, but he lacked more birdies. Really, the only thing he might have missed was more success with the putt. From tee to green he was outstanding. It was as if he wanted some drama on Sunday. Of course you cannot do that with Rahm and Puig breathing down your neck
Jon was excellent again. His opening act was equally devastating, with five birdies in the first six holes, four of them consecutive. He even had a very good eagle chance that just failed to drop on the 5th. After that, he compensated by sinking a very long birdie putt on the 6th. Tit for tat
Rahm continued to press with birdies at the 10th and 11th and another at the 14th. It is there, right there, that DeChambeau really felt Jon breathing down his neck. However, the finish was not quite good enough to catch a player with as many weapons as Bryson. The man from Barrika made a bogey (his first of the week) on the 15th, missing his tee shot into the worst possible spot. And on the 18th he was unable to make a birdie that has almost become routine this week because, again, he missed the tee shot. Again straight to the left. He finished a little hesitant with the driver, just when he needed to deliver the decisive blow
Puig stood up to DeChambeau with bravery and a lot of quality. He relied on his short-game repertoire in the early holes to keep the birdie duel with his powerful playing partner. His approaches and putts on the 1st and 5th were textbook. David was on his own rhythm, taking a birdie here and another there and, just when the course gets toughest (if this easy ride ever actually gets tough), he strung together four spectacular birdies from the 9th to the 12th. Bryson felt him breathing down his neck. They were an excellent putt on the 9th, another prodigious chip in trademark style on the 10th and two good shots and putts on the 11th and 12th
However, like Jon, at that decisive moment he lost a little footing. In the same way. He missed two short but pesky putts on the 14th and 16th. Two very painful bogeys that prevented that final assault on the lead
That leaves Rahm and Puig with work to do tomorrow, but they have sent a serious warning to DeChambeau. Whatever happens, the Spaniards will keep fighting. Bryson would do well not to drop his birdie rate if he does not want to be dethroned
It was a great moving day for the Spaniards. Alongside Rahm and Puig’s rounds of 64 and 66, add Sergio García’s 64 (-15), now in the top 10, Josele Ballester’s 65 (-14), in 12th place, and Luis Masaveu’s 64 (-12), in 18th place. In fact, the Fireballs team have thrust themselves into the fight for victory this week. They sit just two shots behind the South Africans Oosthuizen, Burmester — who has continued with his particular show — Grace and Schwartzel
