Trails pioneer Kim by one shot entering last round at TPC San Antonio

Si Woo Kim

Corey Conners Round 3 highlights from Valero

SAN ANTONIO - For the third straight round, Si Woo Kim is the pioneer of the Valero Texas Open, however, he has a lot of organization. 

Kim, the 23-year-old from South Korea, assembled a 4-stroke lead, the biggest at the midpoint of a PGA TOUR competition this season, with a couple of 66s. It was passed by the fifth gap on Saturday as Canadian Corey Conners, a Monday qualifier, made his turn on Moving Day. 

Kim, 2017 THE PLAYERS Championship victor, endured a rainstorm right on time in the round, about aced the sixteenth gap for the second day straight and made birdie at the last gap to shoot 3-under 69 and take a one-stroke lead over Conners. 

"It's an intense day. Initial six openings, similar to rain and breezy," Kim said. "Back nine climate is better and a tad of weight. Better believe, despite everything it feels incredible and anticipating tomorrow." 

Corey Conners, 27, conveyed his solid play toward the finish of Friday into Saturday's activity and said he was in the zone. He birdied four of his last five gaps in the second round and five of his initial seven openings in the third round. 

"Corey's initial six gaps were insane - like each shot ideal on it and after that put great," Kim said.

Corey Conners

 

The downpour didn't appear to trouble Conners either. 

"I simply attempted to shut it out truly and simply center, take a full breath and simply be truly dedicated to the shot and not stress over what was tumbling from the sky since it was raining truly great on a couple of those methodology shots," he said. 

Conners is the last man to meet all requirements for the Valero Texas Open. Happening of the 126-150 class on the TOUR this season, he spent Monday at The Club at Sonterra, where 73 players endeavored to acquire one of four spots into the field. Conners endure a 6-for-1 playoff and is endeavoring to turn into the primary Monday Qualifier to win on TOUR since Arjun Atwal at the 2010 Wyndham Championship 

"I have an inclination that I have a place in the field," said Conners, who has two top-5 completes and positions No. 66 in the FedExCup. 

Kim made four birdies subsequent to opening the day with an intruder at the principal gap. One day in the wake of acing the standard 3 sixteenth, Kim almost did it once more. He planted his palms to the highest point of his head in disillusionment when the ball jumped over the opening and halted inside 4 feet away. 

"I thought first ricochet and afterward, goodness, that is going in, however simply missed it," Kim said. 

Rather, the gap in-one heroics on Saturday came cordiality of Nick Taylor, who aced the 221-yard thirteenth opening with a 4-iron. 

"It may have been my first strong swing of the day," said Taylor, who shot 1-under 71. 

Charley Hoffman, the 2016 Valero Texas Open boss, took off up the leaderboard with a competition low 8-under 64, and trails by two strokes. 

Scott Brown, who was conceived in Augusta, Ga., and played his initial 21 gaps in even standard, posted 5-under 67 and is tied with K.H. Lee (69) and Jhonnattan Vegas (67) at 11-under 203. FedExCup focuses pioneer Matt Kuchar moved into the best 10 with a 5-under 67. 

Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler both dropped out of conflict, shooting 1-more than 73. The auxiliary cut came at 1-under 215. 

The last round of the Valero Texas Open is setting up to be an antiquated shootout. Kim, who has won twice, including his mark succeed at THE PLAYERS, is endeavoring to go wire-to-wire while Conners, in his second season on TOUR, is looking for his first triumph. 

"I've been in this position a couple of times before where I've been close to the lead and I am very brave encounters to draw off of and ideally can get over the edge," Conners said.