Si Woo Kim emerges as 3-round leader at CJ Cup Byron Nelson

Si Woo Kim carried a two-shot lead into the final round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson after surviving a shaky stretch on Saturday at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. The South Korean shot a 3-under-par 68 in the third round to stay in front through 54 holes. Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark moved within two shots by the end of the day, setting up a crowded chase on Sunday. Earlier in the week, tournament security also dealt with an on-course disruption during Scheffler’s round when a spectator ran onto a green and was detained. ### How did Kim stay in front after starting the day with a bigger cushion? Si Woo Kim began Saturday with a five-shot lead, but that margin disappeared during a difficult middle stretch before he steadied himself coming in. Reuters reported that Kim recovered to post 68 and remain the leader through three rounds. The PGA Tour said he had flirted with sub-60 golf a day earlier, then had to manage a much tighter leaderboard by Saturday evening. (whbl.com) TPC Craig Ranch continued to yield low scores, which left little room for mistakes. NBC Sports also reported that Kim hung on to the 54-hole lead even after losing the advantage he had built earlier in the tournament. ### Who was closest to Kim entering Sunday? (whbl.com) Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark were tied for second, two shots behind Kim after the third round. That left the defending champion Scheffler firmly in range heading into the final day in his home-area event, while Clark joined him as the nearest challenger. Reuters said Scheffler was looming behind Kim, and other tournament coverage confirmed Clark matched Scheffler’s position entering Sunday. (nbcsports.com) The PGA Tour said Kim would hold the 54-hole lead with Scheffler and Clark in pursuit, and CBS Sports reported Scheffler had cut the deficit to two shots by the end of Round 3. That made Sunday’s final round a three-player race at the top at least on the board, even if the final pairing rules produced a separate point of confusion. (whbl.com) ### Why was Scheffler in the final group if Clark had the same score? Scottie Scheffler was placed in the final group with Kim despite finishing Saturday tied with Wyndham Clark. Yahoo Sports reported that fans questioned why Clark was not in that last pairing even though he had posted the same total. Separate coverage described the decision as a source of confusion around the Sunday tee sheet. (pgatour.com) Dallas-area coverage described the Kim-Scheffler pairing as a “dream scenario” for the tournament, with the reigning champion and the leader together on Sunday. The setup ensured the top-ranked Scheffler would play directly alongside Kim in the last group at TPC Craig Ranch. (sports.yahoo.com) ### What happened with the fan who ran onto the green? A spectator ran across the green during Scheffler’s Friday round and was removed by officials at TPC Craig Ranch. GolfMagic reported the fan was wearing a cryptocurrency promotion shirt, while WFAA said the man broke through gallery ropes and began yelling as Scheffler’s group finished the sixth hole. Another spectator tackled him before officials detained him. (dallasnews.com) Yardbarker and other follow-up reports said the incident happened during the second round and ended with the fan being detained. The interruption did not alter Scheffler’s place near the top of the leaderboard, but it added an unusual security incident to the week’s play. (golfmagic.com) ### What was next at the tournament? The final round was scheduled for Sunday, May 24, at TPC Craig Ranch, with Kim leading and Scheffler and Clark two shots back. The PGA Tour leaderboard and round-four coverage listed Sunday tee times and live scoring from McKinney as the tournament moved toward its finish. (pga.com) (yardbarker.com)