Only the most killer version among the killers of Justin Thomas (-17) and an otherworldly round from Tom Kim (-15) are capable today of standing up to that extraordinary torrent of golf called Scottie Scheffler (-16). There’s a tournament in the Bahamas, and that’s already news. With 18 holes to go, it’s impossible to say who will win the Hero World Challenge. Let’s not kid ourselves, Scheffler remains the big favourite, even if he’s not leading, but at least there’s the benefit of the doubt.
Thomas (-17) is the new leader of Tiger Woods‘ tournament. The golfer from Kentucky desperately needed a round like this. He shot 66, bogey-free, in very challenging windy conditions and overtook Scheffler. He hit trademark shots, reminiscent of his best form, displayed his usual mastery around the green, and was sharper than usual with the putter. We’ve seen the best version of Thomas, the most lethal. That’s why he’s the leader.
We say he desperately needed a round like this on a moving day, but even more, he needs to win the tournament this Sunday. That, and nothing else, would be the great boost he’s been seeking for a long time to fully recharge his confidence, which has been quite battered since his last victory at the PGA Championship two and a half years ago. The stage is set: a stellar match with Scheffler, head-to-head with the best and with a one-shot advantage. He couldn’t ask for more. The problem, of course, is that everything hinges on beating Scottie, a titanic task today.
The other thing that had to happen for Scheffler not to stroll through Albany this Sunday is that Tom Kim (-15) signed an otherworldly round. He shot 62 where they didn’t exist. The average score today in the Bahamas was over 70. The wind blew hard. Really hard. His round was stratospheric and basically happened because he saw the hole like an Olympic pool. He holed them from all over. In fact, he even glimpsed a round under 60. He was at -11 with two holes to go, but a bogey on the 17th left him with his final ten under par.
The bad luck for Thomas and Kim is that they’ll have to do just as well, or better, one more day, and that’s within reach of very few. The problem with Scheffler isn’t looking him in the eye on a Thursday, tying him on a Friday, or even surpassing him on a Saturday. The great challenge is beating him over four days. He doesn’t let up. Relentlessly.
Today he played exceptional golf again. He made just one bogey due to a poor approach on the 13th, even the Number One can make mistakes, and he missed one drive all day. Once again, he left himself birdie chances from five metres and in. One after another. They didn’t drop except for a very good one on the 16th from off the green, but he made all the putts from three metres and in. 69 strokes. You know that tomorrow, if the wind blows hard, he’ll shoot at least three under par, and if it’s a calm day, it’ll be hard for him not to reach six under. It’s the noose tightening around the rivals’ necks.
Thomas and Tom Kim have the opportunity this Sunday to show the world that Scheffler is human. The landscape won’t change much if Scottie doesn’t win in the Bahamas, but at least a message of hope will be sent: it’s possible. We’ll see.
