CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Moving Day at the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship did not disappoint.
Shortly after the final pairing of Tyrrell Hatton and Nate Lashley teed off at Quail Hollow Club on Saturday there was an 11-way tie atop the leaderboard, and no, that’s not a typo.
The standings were bunched for the early part of the afternoon before Wyndham Clark and Xander Schauffele eventually separated from the pack. Paired together in the penultimate group, Clark fired the low round of the week with a bogey-free 8-under 63 to take the lead at 16 under, while Schauffele was just one shot worse with a 7-under 64 to sit solo second at 14 under.
Fans also saw a Monday qualifier step into the spotlight, a five-time winner become a snake charmer and a left-handed shot you have to see to believe. Here’s what we learned from Saturday’s third round at the Wells Fargo Championship.
WELLS FARGO: Leaderboard | Photo gallery | Merchandise
Back-and-forth birdie fest
After some conservative scores in the morning despite getable conditions thanks to no rain and clear skies, the afternoon groups were hot out the gate like race horses at the Kentucky Derby, but even Wyndham Clark didn’t see a 63 in the forecast.
“I mean, you’d like to think so, but no, it’s such a tough golf course,” said Clark, who noted there are stretches where you score, so long as you’re in the proper position in the fairway. “Xander and I played amazing. For a while I feel like one of us was making a putt on every other hole, so it was a fun round. I’d love for us to do that again tomorrow, that would be a lot of fun.
“I thought Xander was going to birdie in,” he continued. “I was like, ‘I’ve got to keep hitting greens and keep making birdies, otherwise he’s going to catch up.'”
Both players made three consecutive birdies or better on both their front and back nines on Saturday, but it was Schauffele who had the hot hand late thanks to a birdie-eagle-birdie stretch on Nos. 14-16.
“Guys are really good out here,” said Schauffele. “Monkey see, monkey do is definitely a thing that happens out here.”
Schauffele will go for win No. 8 on the PGA Tour on Sunday, while Clark, in his fifth year on Tour, is looking for his first.
Welcome to the Crowe Show
Trace Crowe was the last man in the field at last week’s HomeTown Lenders Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour and finished a career-best T-11.
A Charlotte resident, Crowe got home late Sunday night and kept the good vibes rolling with a 6-under 65 to Monday qualify for his third-ever PGA Tour start.
The 26-year-old Auburn product finished T-63 in his only other start on Tour this year at the Honda Classic and made the cut once again this week at Quail Hollow after consecutive rounds of 1-under 70 on Thursday and Friday. Crowe was one shot better on Saturday with a 2-under 69 to sit T-34 entering the final round.
Monday Qualifier @TraceCrowe is living up to the moment @WellsFargoGolf 💪 pic.twitter.com/BTFjHzjCl3
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 6, 2023
Looking for a fourth?
Joel Dahmen missed the cut after rounds of 72-73 but decided to stay in the area for the weekend. Without any plans, he took to Twitter to try to find a round.
So if you’re in the Queen City and need a fourth for your Sunday round, might as well shoot your shot.
Anyone need a 4th today in the Charlotte area? Preferable close to Quail. Looking for Sunday as well, but only if the weather is good.
— Joel Dahmen (@Joel_Dahmen) May 6, 2023
Multi-purpose wedges
Wedges can be used a multitude of ways on the golf course, just ask Rickie Fowler.
The 34-year-old was dialed with his short game and danced his way around Quail Hollow to the tune of a second consecutive 3-under 68 to sit T-20 at 6 under. He also played the role of snake charmer.
Rickie Fowler the … snake charmer?!
No fear with a wedge from @RickieFowler 🐍 pic.twitter.com/nJLwQhsE5J
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 6, 2023
Fowler has seen a resurgence in his game so far this year with nine top-25 finishes in 13 events, including four in the top 10 and a T-2 at the Zozo Championship last fall.
Trick shot Theegala
We’ve all been there: you make a bad swing, your ball finds some trouble and then you can’t take a normal stance for your recovery shot. So you flip the club and take a cut from the opposite side of the ball.
Most of us would either swing and miss or make such bad contact that there’s no telling where the ball is going to go. Sahith Theegala isn’t most of us.
The 25-year-old rising star on the PGA Tour has quickly found his footing in professional golf, but found himself in a spot of trouble on the 11th hole. After his tee shot wound up in the pine straw to the left of the fairway, Theegala flipped his iron, swung lefty and somehow found the green.
Going lefty?!
Creativity paid off for @SRTheegala on this one @WellsFargoGolf 🎨 pic.twitter.com/iMfeEqSLx2
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 6, 2023
The Pepperdine product made the cut on the number and proceeded to ho-hum his way around the course to finish his round at even-par 71.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.
