Truist Championship R3 leaderboard: Alex Fitzpatrick surges into lead on disastrous day for Rory McIlroy
Truist Championship leaderboard: Alex Fitzpatrick will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the sixth signature event of the 2025/2026 PGA Tour season.
Pos | Player | Score |
|---|---|---|
1 | Alex Fitzpatrick | -14 |
2 | Kristoffer Reitan | -13 |
3 | Cameron Young | -12 |
T4 | Nicolai Højgaard | -10 |
T4 | Sungjae Im | -10 |
T6 | J.J. Spaun | -9 |
T6 | Justin Thomas | -9 |
T6 | Tommy Fleetwood | -9 |
T9 | Kurt Kitayama | -8 |
T9 | Matt McCarty | -8 |
Alex Fitzpatrick will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Truist Championship on the PGA Tour.
The 27-year-old, who is the younger brother of 2022 U.S. Open champion and Ryder Cup star Matthew, shot a seven-under 64.
He hit seven birdies and dropped only one shot at the 17th.
His nearest challenger is Norway's Kristoffer Reitan, who went round Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina in a bogey-free 64.
Related:
In-form Cameron Young, who has already won twice on the PGA Tour this season, will begin the final round of the $20m signature event two strokes adrift of his former college teammate after posting the best round of the day with a 63.
Masters champion Rory McIlroy began the third round with hopes of surging up the leaderboard, but followed up his 67 on Friday with an error-strewn 75 that included six bogeys.
The Northern Irishman lost five strokes against the field and, according to stats guru Rick Gehman, it was the ninth worst round of his PGA Tour career.
"The one thing that I kind of did a really good job today was embracing everything that's going on," Fitzpatrick said. "I had so much support out there, which was amazing."
He added: "It would obviously mean a lot [to win]. I feel like over the past six months I've always tried to have the mindset of there is other things in life than golf.
"You know, I would love to win. I would give a lot to win.
"Also if winning doesn't happen tomorrow, I would hope it would happen at some point. As long as I can go out and enjoy it that's all I can do."
Young has won twice on the PGA Tour this season.
He captured the biggest victory of his career in March at the Players, pipping the aforementioned Matthew Fitzpatrick to the unofficial fifth men's major on the 72nd hole.
Last week, he cantered to victory at the Cadillac Championship in Miami as the PGA Tour returned to Doral's Blue Monster course for the first time in more than a decade.
He told reporters it would be delusional not to say he's playing the best golf his career.
"I'm playing great," he said. "There is not a ton going on in my head, which is I think a very good thing."
Young played at Wake Forest University alongside Alex Fitzpatrick.
He said they don't tend to talk too much these days but he sent his former teammate a congratulatory text message two weeks ago after the Fitzpatrick brothers won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
It was a victory that saw Alex Fitzpatrick earn a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour plus entry into the remaining signature events plus a start at the 2027 Players.
"He's a friend," said Young. "We don't talk a ton because he's busy in Europe and I'm mostly over here. Texted him after he won the other day the first time and the second time.
"But, yeah, we're very friendly. A pairing with him tomorrow would be a lot of fun. Seeing him out here it's like no time has passed between seeing him in college and now.
"Great kid and great to see him playing well."
In This Article
Ben Smith joined the GolfMagic team in September 2021, initially as a content executive.
These days, he assumes the position of content manager.
