If Patrick Cantlay is looking for some good news after an even-par round of 72 on the Pete Dye Stadium Course on Saturday in The American Express, it’s that he’s closer to the lead going into the final round this year than he was last year.
Cantlay was four shots off the lead entering the last round in 2021, then shot a 61 to finish one shot behind champion Si Woo Kim. This year, Cantlay is just three shots out of the lead after 54 holes.
After rounds of 62 and 68 to start the tournament, Cantlay struggled with his driver throughout Saturday’s round, made four bogeys and dropped out of the lead. He also saw his streak of 21 consecutive competitive rounds on the PGA Tour under 70 end.
Cantlay’s third round started with a bogey on the first hole when he hit his drive closer to the ninth fairway. He added bogeys on the third, sixth and ninth holes with making birdies on the second, fifth and eighth holes. His back nine featured eight pars and one birdie.
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Unkind cut for Mickelson
Phil Mickelson never had a chance to make the cut in the third round, starting the day at 7 over. That’s where Mickelson finished the tournament after a par-72 on the Stadium Course on Saturday, missing the cut in the tournament he hosts for the third consecutive year.
Mickelson, who has won the tournament twice and finished second as recently as 2019, shot himself out of contention Thursday on a course that he dominated in the 2019 performance. That year, Mickelson shot a 12-under 60 in the first round at La Quinta Country Club.
Thursday, Mickelson did almost the exact opposite, struggling early on the way to a 6-over 78, leaving him tied for last in the 156-player field with Austin Cook, who played the tougher Stadium Course at PGA West. The 78 matched the worst round he’s shot in this event. He also shot 78 in the fifth round in 2007.
But Mickelson was hardly the only big name to miss the cut, which came at 7-under 209. Past tournament champions missing the cut included Pat Perez, Adam Long, Jhonattan Vegas, Brian Gay, Bill Haas and Andrew Landry. Other notables missing the cut included Davis Love III, Rickie Fowler, Jimmy Walker and Luke Donald.
Swafford looking to win again
Hudson Swafford won the 2017 American Express title in a rainy week, holding off Adam Hadwin, who had shot a 59 at La Quinta Country Club that week.
Swafford made a quiet move up the leader board Saturday with a 66 on the Stadium Course and is tied for fifth at 15-under par as he looks to become the ninth player to win the tournament at least twice. He said his game isn’t quite the same as when he won the tournament.
“I might have drove it a little better in ’17,” Swafford said. “It’s been a — haven’t hit quite as many fairways, but really hit my irons beautifully, putting great, doing everything else pretty good. It’s kind of got that feel the way I feel like I’m rolling it.”
Mullinax playing through
Trey Mullinax didn’t hit a good tee shot on the par-5 11th hole, but that didn’t stop him from having a little fun at his own expense with a course official. Looking for his drive off the 11th tee near the 16th fairway, Mullinax told an official, “Hi, I’m playing the wrong hole.”
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