Power fires 63 to grab share of 3M Open lead as Shin holds five-shot cushion at Women's Scottish Open

Power's third-round surge

Séamus Power began Saturday tied for 24th at the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota, eight strokes adrift of halfway leader Michael Kim. Four hours later the Waterford man was in the clubhouse sharing the lead after a bogey-free eight-under-par 63 at TPC Twin Cities. Power made birdies at the third, fourth, seventh and ninth to turn in 32, then picked up four more shots coming home, at the 12th, 14th, 16th and the par-five 18th. Playing partner Davis Thompson matched the 63 with an eagle at the par-five 12th, the pair's only blemish a Thompson bogey at the par-three 13th as they combined for a better-ball 13-under 58. Power had eagled the 18th in Friday's second-round 68, one of the highlights of a round that left him at six-under through 36 holes.

Crowded at the summit

World number one Scottie Scheffler posted a seven-under 64 to join the group at 14-under, turning in level par before racing home in 29 strokes, seven under on the back nine. Hideki Matsuyama added a six-under 65 to reach 13-under, one shot off the early clubhouse lead. As the final wave finished, Jackson Koivun moved to 15-under, nudging one ahead of Power, Thompson, Scheffler and Kim, all bunched at 14-under. Kim, whose Friday 59 had given him the halfway lead at 14-under, remained on that number as he approached the closing holes of his third round.

Kim's Friday 59

Kim produced the 15th round of 59 in PGA Tour history on Friday, a 12-under barrage featuring 12 birdies and no bogeys. The 33-year-old American rolled in a 24-foot birdie putt at the 18th, raising both arms before unleashing a fist-pump. Five straight birdies from the third through the seventh holes ignited the round, and he closed with four consecutive birdies from the 15th. Kim's previous best round on tour was a 62.

I kind of remember thinking on 18 that you have to go for it, 60 or 61 doesn't really make too much of a difference. To shoot 59 today was pretty cool and feels like I'm part of the history books, which is great.

Shin commands in Scotland

At the Women's Scottish Open at Dundonald Links in North Ayrshire, South Korea's Jenny Shin carded a one-under 71 on Saturday to preserve a five-stroke cushion heading into Sunday's final round. Shin, at 12-under for the tournament, is chasing her first LPGA Tour victory since the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout a decade ago. The 33-year-old has Irish caddie Shane Codd on her bag for the third tournament.

I've never been in this position, so I don't know how to feel. I'm going to go and practice for a little bit and get a good feel for tomorrow so I'm not such a mess in the morning.

Thailand's Pajaree Anannarukarn sits second at seven-under after a bogey-free 69 on Saturday, five strokes back. Ireland's Leona Maguire posted a second consecutive level-par 72 on Friday to sit at 144 through 36 holes, tied for 11th. Pádraig Harrington, meanwhile, faces an uphill climb defending his ISPS Handa Seniors Open title at Gleneagles, sitting tied-36th at two-over 142, 11 strokes behind leader Cameron Percy after a second-round 72.

The playoff push

Power entered the week 115th on the FedEx Cup points list with only three regular-season events remaining before the playoffs. He needs to climb into the top 100 to secure his full PGA Tour card for next season. His Saturday 63 vaulted him from the fringes into contention at the right moment. Scheffler's back-nine 29 pulled the world number one into the Sunday mix after a level-par outward nine, while Kim is chasing a second career PGA Tour title following his 2018 John Deere Classic victory.