3 things you should know after Round 3 at the 3M Open

The leaders after the third round are the same as after the second. The players behind them are mostly different. On moving day, some did, some didn’t. Here are three things you should know after Saturday’s third round of the 3M Open in Blaine, Minn.     

Richy Werenski and Michael Thompson lead

Richy Werenski and Michael Thompson opened the day with a one-shot lead. They ended it with a two-shot advantage. 

Thompson had held the lead alone until a rough final two holes. On the par-3 17th, he missed the green right, chipped on and two-putted for bogey. He hit his next shot in the water. On the par-5 18th, he went right off the tee, dropped, then hit a heroic shot over the water in front of the green before getting up and down for a par and a 3-under 68. 

Werenski jumped back into a share of the lead after a strong final four holes. He birdied 15 and 16. On 18, he knocked his approach to about 8 feet and rolled in the birdie for his 3-under 68. Both he and Thompson are at 15-under. 

“I did a good job of just kind of hanging in there, grinding along, giving myself looks,” Werenski said. “And then I made like, I don’t know, a 6-footer on 14 or 15 and then just kind of clicked again. Gave myself a chance going into tomorrow.”

Tony Finau is contending 

Last week, Tony Finau held the lead midway through the third round of the Memorial, only to stumble, shooting 4-over over a six-hole stretch on the back nine. Lesson learned. Saturday, tied for third entering the day and playing in the final grouping with Werenski and Thompson, Finau started birdie, bogey, bogey. He was 3-under from there for a 2-under 69, and he and Charl Schwartzel are two shots out of the lead. 

“I’m definitely proud of myself on just being mentally strong and emotionally strong,” Finau said. “It was a tough finish last week, but every week is a new week. Every week you have an opportunity to prove yourself. That’s what I love about the game. Doesn’t matter how well you played the last week or how terrible you played, you have a new week to prove yourself and I’ve gotten another opportunity to try to prove myself tomorrow.”

Schwartzel was among those who rose up the leaderboard. He shot a 5-under 66; Max Homa shot a 7-under 64 and is now fifth and three shots back, and among the seven players tied for sixth and four shots back are Cameron Tringale, who shot a 8-under 63, and Denny McCarthy, who fired a 7-under 64. 

Defending champion Matthew Wolff was among those who fell down the leaderboard. Entering the day three shots out of the lead, he’s now five back after a 1-under 70. 

Max Homa and Cameron Tringale go low   

Homa, who started the day in 24th place and seven shots out of the lead, had eight birdies. None of his birdie putts were longer than 15 feet. 

Tringale, who started the day tied for 38th, was 3-under through four holes, 6-under through nine and 9-under through 17 before bogeying his last hole. 

“Golf’s a game of confidence,” he said. “I love where I’m at. I love where my game’s at. Sundays are a different day, so I’m excited about the opportunity. Yeah, my game feels good, so as long as I can keep swinging freely and I’m rolling it really nice and if I give myself chances, I like where I’m at.”