There were plenty of great shots in the third round and we realistically can’t share them all. After combing through the tape we’ve singled out two that had some serious meaning.
First up, the hometown hero Justin Thomas. The 31-year-old grew up 20 miles from Valhalla and has naturally been a fan favorite all week long. On the par-3 14th, the most difficult hole on the course today and the second most challenging on the week, Thomas lost his tee shot long and left atop a massive hill near the green. Getting this ball to stop on the green was hard enough, but Thomas made it look easy. So easy, in fact, that he holed out for birdie which led to the loudest roar on the property of the week. Most players would’ve dropped at least a shot from Thomas’ position, but the two-time PGA champion put a circle on the scorecard and climbed into the top 10 for the final round.
“It was crazy. I had goosebumps for pretty much right up until I got to 15 tee. As you know, it’s not exactly cool outside,” Thomas said after the round. “It was one of the coolest moments of my career. It was unbelievable.”
And then there’s Bryson DeChambeau. The bulked-up bomber loves a crowd and will ham it up whenever possible. He’s one of the true great showmen in the game today, and he never lets a moment pass him by. On the par-5 18th, DeChambeau sent a jolt of electricity through the thousands of fans surrounding the final hole with his chip-in for eagle to sign for a 4-under 67 and sit T-4, just two shots back.
“Exhilarating. I haven’t felt like that in a long time,” he said of his moment on the 18th. “The only other time I felt like it was when I shot 58 at Greenbrier. That was pretty exciting there. I was pretty pumped.”
DeChambeau’s length gives him a massive advantage at Valhalla, and his greatly improved short game make him a player to keep an eye on down the stretch on Sunday.
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