By Alexandra Jones
GREENSBORO — And then there were 81.
Threesomes turned to twosomes, and all players started at the first tee. After the field was cut to top 60 and ties, players tiptoed around the bright green Sedgefield Bermuda grass hoping to make the most of moving day.
But outside of the ropes, the patrons were filled with anticipation.
Margaritaville buzzed with an intensity that almost overpowered the oppressive midday heat. Fans played cornhole games with drinks in hand and packed the nearly non-existent open space around high top tables and bars.
And not even early morning tee times could deter the eager fans.
As early as 8 a.m., crowds huddled around the exterior of the clubhouse to watch fan favorites such as Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and 2025 Wyndham champion Cameron Young, who successfully fought to survive the cut line.
The scoreboard matched this frantic energy — lead changes and ties dominated the early scoring.
Late in the day, Englishman Jordan Smith was the star of the show, making a hole-in-one on 16 to claim one million Wyndham Rewards points for charity and another million for himself as part of a long-standing Wyndham Rewards promotion benefitting the tournament’s backpack charities, Backpack Beginnings, Out of the Garden Project, Forsyth Backpacks and the United Way of High Point. Through this program, more than a million meals have been donated to families in need.
“It’s nice that they (Wyndham Rewards) were able to give back to charity,” Smith said. “Every little bit helps, and obviously silver lining of me getting a few points – use them on a few hotels probably next year at some point. For vacation, not a clue where, but probably somewhere hot, somewhere next to the sea with a nice beach and a good barman.
“A hole in one always helps, if you have one of them in a round. It was like a perfect 9‑iron for us, and obviously it came out perfectly.”
Smith is tied for eighth – just five strokes off the lead.
The top of the leaderboard was a frenzy — but at the end of the day — the name at the top was the same as it was when the day began. But not without company.
First and second round leader Beau Hossler began to pull away at 17-under par but stalled with a bogey at the par-3 16th. Play was halted not once but twice for dangerous weather situations. After the second delay, Hossler made scrambling pars from the rough at both the 17th and 18th holes to tie Michael Brennan for the lead at 16-under par.
“It was incredibly chaotic,” Hossler said. “I got off to a really poor start as far as my ball striking. Really settled in nicely, and then I think clearly the delays ruined the momentum a bit. So I certainly had a challenge to deal with that and kind of get it in the last three holes and give myself a chance for tomorrow.”
Hossler will seek his first PGA TOUR win on Sunday. Whether he’s successful or not, he’s up for the challenge.
“It’s a lifestyle, it’s a grind, it’s enjoyable, it’s an incredible, incredible challenge to try and conquer this damn game,” Hossler said.
Brennan, the Wake Forest University alumnus, played as if he enjoyed a home-field advantage playing just 30 minutes from his college campus. He opened with 66-65 to enter the third round 9-under par.
After a bogey at the difficult par-4 second hole, the 24-year-old was on a mission playing nearly flawless golf and making eight birdies in his final 14 holes. He made a brilliant birdie from 16 feet at the 18th hole to take the clubhouse lead before Hossler tied him late.
“It was huge,” Brennan recalled. “I told Ollie when we were walking up the fairway, ‘This is for the final group. I think it’s going to hold up to be like that, we’ll see.’ That’s the spot you want to be, you want to be in the last group coming down the stretch on Sunday. I’m glad I put myself into that position.”
When the putt dropped, the crowd erupted into yells and whistles while he pumped his fist.
“It’s been a few weeks of really solid putting for me. Kind of just trying to ride with that,” Brennan said. “I have a big focus on setup and making sure I’m setting up really consistent and comfortable over the ball…then keeping the tempo up when I’m out on the golf course.”
Brennan seeks his second PGA TOUR win at the season’s final regular season event. Chasing the tournament leading duo is 2022 Wyndham champion Tom Kim one stroke back after his own third-round 63. The 2026 Scottish Open champion caught fire early on Saturday, sinking seven birdies on the day to reach 15-under par just a stroke behind the leaders.
“I feel like I did a lot of things well, hit a lot of fairways, got up and down when I needed to and I just kind of put one foot in front of the other,” Kim said. “I took advantage when I needed to, and I played pretty conservative when I needed to.”
Greensboro’s Alex Smalley and Sweden’s Alex Noren are tied for fourth, just two strokes off the lead and lurking three strokes back in sixth is Davis Thompson who made an albatross at the par-5 fifth hole and followed with birdies at eight and nine to enjoy a brief stint as the leader.
The names atop the leaderboard may change tomorrow, but regardless of what happens inside the ropes, fans will stand wall-to-wall with cocktails in hand at Margaritaville enjoying live music and summer’s last stand.
