DETROIT — Here's a quick look at Saturday's third round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club:
Round 3 recap
Here we go. Rickie Fowler, by far the most popular golfer in Detroit since the city landed the Rocket Mortgage Classic, will head into Sunday as the sole leader, at 20 under, after reeling off birdies on six of his final eight holes for a third-round, 8-under 64. Fowler was playing steady through the front nine, then hooked his tee shot so far left on the par-4 10th, he had to take an unplayable lie. He still salvaged bogey, then birdied the par-3 11th, the toughest hole on the course, and it was off to the races. He enters Sunday's early tee times — pushed up because of anticipated bad weather — one stroke ahead of Adam Hadwin (course-record 63) and two clear of Taylor Pendrith.
Notable names
Anything can happen at Detroit Golf Club, which should continue to play soft Sunday after some more rain Saturday. That means more birdies, bringing into play a whole lot of golfers — including Monday qualifier Peter Kuest (65) and Aaron Rai (66) who will start the final round three shots back, and superstar and two-time major champion Collin Morikawa (67) as part of a cluster that will start four shots back. Brian Harman (66) is part of another large group that enters Sunday five shots off the lead.
Local watch
Ryan Brehm (Michigan State, Traverse City) was the lone local (out of three) to make the cut into the weekend, and after switching drivers Wednesday and driving it so well in the first two rounds — particularly Friday — he had his struggles there Saturday. Most notably, he hit a tee shot out of bounds on the par-4 12th, leading to a double-bogey. Brehm finished at par 72 in the third round, and was at 5 under heading into Sunday.
Hole of the day
Always plenty to choose from, but we'll go with the tough, par-4 18th, which still played a smidge under par Saturday, no doubt thanks to the softening and windless conditions late in the day. It's at 18 where Fowler hit his approach from 115 yards to about 10 yards past the pin, then sucked it back to inside of 3 feet. Fowler tapped in, triggering a loud ovation from the hearty fans who stuck out the nearly two-hour weather delay, and giving one of the PGA Tour's biggest stars the sole lead heading into Sunday's final round. Adam Hadwin, by the way, missed a putt on 18 that would've given him the sole possession of the course record, settling for 62.
Shot of the day
Taylor Pendrith came to the par-4 10th hole without a bogey on the card all week, but that streak looked in serious jeopardy when he hooked his tee shot deep into the trees on the left (close to where Fowler had just had to take a drop, leading to a bogey). But Pendrith found himself with just enough of an opening to loft a short iron, landing to inside 3 feet from 155 yards out, for another birdie.
Quotable
"I guess it takes an army to caddie for me." — Adam Schenk, who has Purdue golf coach Rob Bradley on the bag at the Rocket (for a third straight year). His regular caddie is David Cooke, and he plans to use a third caddie next year.
AREA 313 watch
Rocket Mortgage again will give a $313,000 charitable donation should any player, during the course of the week, go 3-1-3 on holes 14-16 (that's eagle, ace, birdie). It's never been done, and it's going to take some weekend work for it to happen this year. Several players, including Collin Morikawa, will at least have a crack at it, having made eagle at 14 and birdie at 16, but what's left is the titanic task — an ace at the short 15th. It's at least worth noting, there has been an ace on 15 each of the last two years, but there hasn't been a hole-in-one (yet) at the 2023 Rocket.
