Cao Goes Bogey-free Again to Maintain Lead at CRMC Championship

• 2023 CRMC Championship Round 4
• 2023 CRMC Championship Round 3
• 2023 CRMC Championship Round 2
• 2023 CRMC Championship Round 1

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  BRAINERD, Minn. – Playing his last 47 holes without a bogey, Yi Cao posted a 5-under 65 at Cragun’s Dutch Legacy Course during Saturday’s third round to maintain his lead at the 2023 the CRMC Championship.

Missing three consecutive cuts entering the week, Cao had one word to describe playing his last three rounds in 17-under par.

“Grateful.”

Cao has been hampered by a neck injury, nearly pulling out of the championship prior to Thursday’s opening round.

“To be able to finish another 18 holes is awesome,” Cao said. “It’s still there when I woke up, but it’s definitely better, especially when I’m focused on the course. Hopefully it gets better for tomorrow.”

Cao will take a five-stroke advantage over Sam Jean to Sunday’s final round, in search of his first PGA Tour Canada win in his 48th career start.

“Today I did a great job—I probably had 17 greens in regulation. I just want to keep my head down and keep playing solid golf.”

Cao got his round started Saturday with back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth holes to quickly move to 14-under for the championship.

Sinking a 35-footer for birdie at the 15th, Cao moved to 15-under for the tournament before taking advantage of both par-5s late on his inward nine, converting birdie chances at the 16th and 18th to take the first 54-hole lead of his career.

“I played really steady and really solid,” he said, “I just had a couple of putts that didn’t drop. I burned the edge a few times.”

Jean, a native of Greenwood, Ind., started fast Saturday, holing out for eagle at the par-4 second from 75 yards to jump to 9-under for the championship.

Turning in 3-under for the day following a birdie at the fifth from 15 feet, Jean carded just his third bogey of the week at the 12th to slip to 7-under for the championship.

Heating up on an already hot day, Jean rolled in back-to-back birdie chances at the 16th and 17th to reach 10-under before closing out the third round by sinking his eagle putt from 10 feet at the 18th, finishing five shots back of Cao at 12-under 198.

Asked if an early eagle served as a harbinger of what his third round had in store Saturday, Jean replied, “It’s a good gift, but you try not to think about it too much. It’s easy to get to 2-under and get comfortable a little bit. You try to play the rest of your round the way you normally would.

“Coming in, Tuesday and Wednesday was some of the worst golf I’ve played in a long time, so I was pretty nervous and knew I had to make the cut to get my spot [in the Fortinet Cup Championship] next week. A lot of pressure, but thankful for a good round Thursday to set me up.”

Setting a new tournament course record Saturday, American Hayden Springer carded five birdies over his final six holes to post a 9-under 61 to move within four shots of Cao’s lead at 11-under 199.

Helped by a pair of birdies early in his round, Springer turned in 6-under following back-to-back birdies at the eighth and ninth holes.

Springer tallied back-to-back birdies again at the 13th and 14th before rolling in three straight on his final three holes to card a 61.

Carding a 4-under 66 for a second consecutive round, Minnesotan Derek Hitchner moved up 16 spots on the leaderboard during Saturday’s third round.

He will begin the final round in a tie for 21st at 5-under 205.

The 2021 Minnesota Golf Association champion bounced back from an early bogey by converting his birdie chances at the fourth and sixth holes, but would turn in even par after his second bogey of the day at the par-3 eighth.

Bouncing back with a birdie at the 12th, Hitchner finished with a flurry of birdies, carding three straight to close out his third round with another round of 4-under 66.

The final round of the 2023 CRMC Championship is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at Cragun’s Dutch Legacy Course.



THE 2023 CRMC CHAMPIONSHIP
CRAGUN’S DUTCH LEGACY COURSE
BRAINERD, MINN.
7,001 YARDS, PAR 70


SATURDAY’S THIRD ROUND RESULTS
1. Yi Cao, China, 66-62-65— 193
2. Sam Jean, United States, 66-68-64—198
3. Hayden Springer, United States, 68-70-61—199
T4. Jeffrey Kang, United States, 70-67-63—200
T4. Blake Tomlinson, United States, 67-67-66—200
T6. Travis Trace, United States, 70-68-64—202
T6. Gavin Hall, United States, 68-67-67—202
T6. Brendan MacDougall, Canada, 71-64-67—202
T6. J.T. Griffin, United States, 68-66-68—202
T6. Davis Shore, United States, 66-67-69—202

T21. DEREK HITCHNER, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 73-66-66—205
MC. THOMAS LONGBELLA, UNIV. OF MINN., 72-69—141
MC. CALEB VANARRAGON (A), BLAINE, MINN., 70-71—141
MC. THOMAS LEHMAN, SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ., 76-69—145
MC. THOMAS AVANT, CHANDLER, ARIZ., 80-73—153
MC. GRANT SHAFRANSKI, NORTH OAKS GC, 78-77—155
MC. MATT BOLDY (A), MILFORD, MASS., 79-80—159


For complete tournament results go to: www.pgatour.com/canada/tournaments/2023/crmc-championship-presented-by-gertens/C2023053/leaderboard