Neal Shipley will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Biltmore Championship Asheville after a bogey-free 6-under 65 on Saturday, September 19, moved him to 21 under par at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in North Carolina. The 25-year-old rookie, who is chasing a first PGA Tour victory, has yet to drop a shot through 54 holes this week.
Shipley birdied the opening hole, added three more birdies and eagled the par-5 15th. Ben Kohles, also seeking a maiden Tour win, matched his 65 to sit second at 20 under, narrowly missing a hole-out eagle at the 18th before tapping in for birdie.
Eric Cole (64) and Ricky Castillo (65) share third at 17 under, three shots further back, with Jacob Bridgeman (64) and first-round co-leader Max Greyserman (66) tied fifth at 16 under. Haotong Li produced the round of the day, a 10-under-par 61 featuring 10 birdies and eight pars, to climb into a tie for seventh at 15 under alongside Jackson Koivun (63), Marco Penge (64) and Seamus Power (65).
The third round began early because of a forecast of inclement weather, and the final round on Sunday, September 20 has also been brought forward with thunderstorms expected in the afternoon. Tee times will run from 7:43 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. ET in groups of three off the first and tenth tees, with Shipley, Kohles and Cole in the final group at 9:55 a.m. ET from the first tee. Television coverage is scheduled for noon to 12:30 p.m. ET on CNBC and 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET on Golf Channel.
The FedExCup Fall event, the first PGA Tour tournament held in the Asheville area since 1942, carries a $5 million purse with $900,000 going to the winner.
