Canadian Leads CareerBuilder Challenge Entering Final Round

LA QUINTA, CA – Canadian Adam Hadwin holds a one-stroke lead over rookie Dominic Bozzelli entering today's final round of the $5.8 million CareerBuilder Challenge after firing the ninth sub-60 round in PGA Tour history.

Hadwin entered Saturday's third round 10 strokes behind leader Hudson Swafford and tied for 49th, then shot a 13-under-par 59 at the La Quinta Country Club.

Hadwin said his success Saturday will make things harder for him Sunday.

"They say one of hardest things in golf is follow up a low round," Hadwin said. "I was one of nine guys to break 60 now, so I can't go much lower. I think that I just have to figure out a way to get rid of it.
I have to figure out a way to convince myself that I just shot 67 and take a one-shot lead, that I'm playing good golf right now, and just keep going doing my thing. Just try to lower the expectations again."

Four of the eight previous times a golfer has had a sub-60 round he has won that tournament.

Hadwin, Bozzelli and Swafford will play in Sunday's final group, which is set to tee off at 9:40 a.m. at the Stadium Course at PGA West.

Hadwin's 59 is the second in tournament history. David Duval had the first in the final round of the 1999 tournament at the Arnold Palmer Private Course at PGA West as he erased a seven-stroke deficit for a one-stroke victory over Steve Pate.

Hadwin parred the first hole, then had six consecutive birdies. He had another birdie on the ninth hole, five consecutive birdies from the 11th through 15th and the final one on the par-3 17th on a 6-foot putt that Hadwin said "barely went in."

Hadwin completed his round by sinking a three-foot putt for par on the 18th.

"I think what gives sort of me the most confidence is that I knew exactly what I needed to do and through that whole process, if anything, I was thinking 58," Hadwin said, referring to the PGA Tour record for the lowest score for a round, set by Jim Furyk in the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship.

Hadwin acknowledged being nervous "so I was happy to see the putt drop on 18. Last thing I wanted to do was miss a 3-footer for 59, so. I was more relieved than anything walking off that green."

Hadwin's 59 came nine days after Justin Thomas shot a 59 in the first round of the Sony Open in Hawaii. This is the first time there have been sub-60 scores in back-to-back weeks on the PGA Tour.

Hadwin's 13 birdies tied the record set by Chip Beck when he shot the PGA Tour's second 59 in the third round of the Las Vegas Invitational in 1991. Hadwin's previous low round on the PGA Tour was a 63 in the final round of the 2015 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

The 29-year-old Hadwin is winless in his 72 starts on the PGA Tour. His best finish was a tie for fourth in the 2011 Canadian Open.

Since the tournament went to 72 holes in 2012, four of the five winners have lead or shared the lead through three rounds.

Bozzelli began the round tied for second, one shot off the lead, then shot a three-under-par 69 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course. His lone bogey came at his ninth hole of the day, the par-4 18th, ending a streak of 53 holes without a bogey.

The 25-year-old Bozzelli is playing in his sixth PGA Tour event. He missed the cut in each of his last three tournaments.

"I've been working to get in this position for the last 15, 20 years, and I'm excited to be here and see what I got," Bozzelli said.

Swafford had a double-bogey on the par-5 16th and a bogey on the par-3 17th at the Stadium Course at PGA West for a one-under-par 71, dropping him into a four-way tie for second, two shots off the lead.

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