YOKOHAMA, Japan — Max Glaserman and Xander Schauffele shared the top of the leaderboard after the third round of the Bay Current Classic in Japan on Saturday.
Playing on a rainy day at Yokohama Country Club, Glaserman shot an even-par 71 and Schauffele finished with a 67. Both were 12 under and 201.
Glaserman is aiming for his first PGA Tour title. He was second in this competition a year ago.
It’s a different story than Schauffele, who could be added to a lengthy resume on Sunday. This includes two major championships, a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, and numerous other PGA Tour titles.
Schauffele’s mother was born in Taiwan but grew up in Japan. Of course, winning the championship is a dream come true.
“My grandparents are here and my mom grew up here with my brother, so it’s obviously going to be special,” he said. “It’s a long way from now, but yeah, it’s an incredible feeling to think about the future.”
Glaserman, who has split and held the lead completely since the first round, said he will just hold on.
“Obviously, I think me and Xander are tied, so I would have liked to have extended the lead and played better today and all that, but you can’t play great for 72 holes in a row,” he said. “The conditions were tough and we didn’t adapt well to the weather, but tomorrow will be a new day.”
The five players who advanced to the final round with a three-stroke difference were defending champion Nico Echavarria (69), Michael Thorbjornsen (66), Ahn Byung-hoon (66), Garrick Higo (68), and Kim Si-woo (69).
“I’m very proud that I fought today to give myself a chance under these circumstances,” Echavarria said of the rain that fell all day.
The event, the only PGA Tour tournament in Japan, used to be held east of Tokyo, but this year it moved to Yokohama. It premiered in 2019 and was won by Tiger Woods.
