After hitting all 18 greens for the third time in his PGA Tour career, Rickie Fowler holds his eighth 54-hole lead/co-lead on Tour and first since his last win at the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open.
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At 21-under 195, Fowler set a new tournament record at the CJ CUP in search of his sixth career Tour win.
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Fowler seeks to become the first sponsor exemption to win on Tour since Martin Laird at the 2020 Shriners Children’s Open.
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Following a 10-under 62 (one shy of his career-low round on the PGA Tour), Rory McIlroy trails by two in bid for his 20th Tour title.
Second-round leader Keith Mitchell carded 1-over 73 to fall to T6.
Sung Kang after a 5-under 67 is the leading Korean in the field at T14.
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Fowler equalled his second-best opening 54-hole score of his career. The only time he has gone lower was en route to win at the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open (193).
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Marks his eighth 54-hole lead/co-lead of Tour career and converted two of those into victories (2017 The Honda Classic; 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open).
He tied career-best nine birdies in single round during third-round 63 (most recent: 2017 Quicken Loans National).
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Marked his fourth consecutive round of 66 or better (dating to round two at Shriners Children’s Open last week); ties longest streak of 66 or better on TOUR (only other time: 2017Waste Management Phoenix Open/R4 through 2017 The Honda Classic/R3).
Fowler missed cut in his season debut at the Shriners Children’s Open last week.
He is making second start in the CJ CUP (T28/2020 at Shadow Creek).
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McIlroy (2nd/-19) notched six birdies in seven holes (Nos. 3-9) to tie career-best front nine score (most recent: 30/2021 World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational).
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Leads the field in Strokes Gained: Putting (6.842); only time has led the category for an event on Tour was the 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational (Won) and outperformed the field by 10.03 strokes on the greens that week.
He has played the par-5 holes in 11-under this week, which ties his best par-5 hole performance in the first three rounds of an event on TOUR (most recent: 2020 ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD).
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He seeks 20th career win on Tour in his first start of the 2021-22 PGA Tour Season (most recent: 2021 Wells Fargo Championship).
A day after an albatross on the par-5 14th hole (holed a 4-iron from 250 yards), Abraham Ancer (T3/-18) eagled the hole after hitting his approach from 225 yards to 6’4”; seeks second career Tour victory.
First-round leader Robert Streb (T3/18) notched eight birdies against one bogey for a 7-under 65 to sit three shots back; in search of third career Tour victory (2014/The McGladrey Classic, 2020/The RSM Classic).
After opening with a 5-over 77, defending champion Jason Kokrak (T51/-8) responded with rounds of 66-65.
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