WESTFIELD, Ind. — LIV Golf Indianapolis was set up for a dramatic finish after Saturday’s third round at The Club at Chatham Hills, with Michael La Sasso taking the individual lead and the Team Championship race separated by just a handful of shots.
The 22-year-old HyFlyers GC player carded a 4-under 66 to reach 13 under for the tournament, moving one shot ahead of a group that included Laurie Canter, Richard Bland and Thomas Detry.
After producing a 10-under 60 in Round 2, La Sasso followed with another strong performance to put himself in position for his first professional victory.
But the leaderboard remained wide open heading into the final round.
Fifteen players were within three shots of the lead, setting up one of the most competitive Sundays of the LIV Golf season. Richard Bland made one of the biggest moves of the day with a 5-under 65, joining Canter and Detry at 12 under.
Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Josele Ballester and Younghan Song were another shot back at 11 under, while Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and several others remained firmly in contention at 10 under.
A wide-open race for the title
La Sasso entered Sunday in unfamiliar but exciting territory. The young American, who won an NCAA individual championship before turning professional, had the opportunity to capture his first title as a pro.
He was set to play in the final group alongside two much more experienced competitors: Richard Bland and Laurie Canter.
Canter had opened the tournament with a career-best 62 and remained near the top throughout the weekend. Bland, meanwhile, climbed into contention with one of the best rounds of Saturday.
The contrast between the leaders added another storyline to the final day, with LIV Golf’s youngest player set to compete alongside its oldest player for the Indianapolis title.
Legion XIII takes the team lead
The battle for the Team Championship was just as close.
Legion XIII moved into first place at 34 under after posting an 11-under team score in Round 3. Rahm led the way with a 4-under 66, while Tom McKibbin, Tyrrell Hatton and Caleb Surratt also kept the team firmly in the mix.
HyFlyers GC entered the final round only one shot behind at 33 under, giving La Sasso the opportunity to compete for both an individual victory and the team’s first LIV Golf title.
Ripper GC sat third at 31 under, followed by 4Aces GC at 30 under and Fireballs GC at 29 under.
With only five shots separating the top five teams, the championship remained completely open heading into Sunday’s finale.
Individual leaderboard after Round 3
- Michael La Sasso — 13 under
T2. Laurie Canter — 12 under
T2. Richard Bland — 12 under
T2. Thomas Detry — 12 under
T6. Sergio Garcia — 11 under
T6. Bubba Watson — 11 under
T6. Josele Ballester — 11 under
T6. Younghan Song — 11 under
Team leaderboard after Round 3
- Legion XIII — 34 under
- HyFlyers GC — 33 under
- Ripper GC — 31 under
- 4Aces GC — 30 under
- Fireballs GC — 29 under
By the end of Round 3, LIV Golf Indianapolis had delivered exactly the kind of finish organizers and fans could have hoped for at Chatham Hills: a crowded individual leaderboard, a tight Team Championship race and several of the game’s biggest names still within reach of the title.
But it was La Sasso who entered the final day with the advantage, chasing what could have been the biggest win of his young professional career.
Leave a comment