Deadspin | Three share 2-shot lead entering final round in Hong Kong

Spain’s Jon Rahm, Harold Varner III and Belgium’s Thomas Detry are tied for the lead at 17-under entering Sunday’s final round at LIV Golf Hong Kong.

Belgium’s Thomas Pieters and 36-hole co-leaders Dean Burmester of South Africa and Carlos Ortiz of Mexico are two photographs behind following Saturday’s third round at Hong Kong Golf Membership at Fanling.

Pieters shot the day’s low round of 61 to maneuver into competition.

Rahm, who’s searching for his first LIV Golf particular person victory since 2024, carded a 5-under 65.

“It’s important to maintain placing your self in competition and giving your self possibilities,” mentioned Rahm, who has began the 2026 season with consecutive runner-up finishes. “So long as I am doing that, I am enjoying good golf, make the most of the alternatives I get, but it surely’ll come. As I am enjoying stable golf, I am hoping tomorrow I’ve Sunday and get it achieved.”

Detry, who posted a 4-under 66 on Saturday, is making an attempt to beat the person who helped him get to the match.

Detry was considered one of seven LIV Golf gamers who had been stranded in the United Arab Emirates after the U.S. and Israel launched assaults final weekend in opposition to Iran. Rahm helped to rearrange a constitution flight to get all of them to Hong Kong.

“Effectively, if it wasn’t for him, I do not assume I would be right here,” Detry mentioned. “It is a bit of bit humorous that method. However pay attention, we’re each opponents, and he is achieved it for his teammates. He is achieved it for the league. It is superb what he did, and he is pal of mine, as nicely. We have performed plenty of golf as juniors and on the PGA Tour and in every single place collectively and out right here now. I feel we’re simply going to have a pleasant aggressive enjoyable round tomorrow, and we’ll see who prevails.”

Varner joined Rahm and Detry on the prime of the leaderboard with a 7-under 63.

Ortiz and Burmester each posted rounds of 1-under 69, a lot to Burmester’s dismay.

“I am gutted,” Burmester mentioned after the round. “I do not really feel like I did an excessive amount of improper, truthfully. Perhaps tried a bit of too arduous. I do not know. I hit some superb golf photographs on the market. I hit some poor ones, in all probability on the improper holes. Hit some nice photographs. I went bogey-free. Simply did not make any putts. Acquired to discover a solution to elevate myself up tomorrow and provides it a go.”

Within the crew competitors, Smash GC holds a two-stroke lead over 4Aces GC with Rahm’s Legion XIII three photographs behind the leaders.

–Area Stage Media