Xander Schauffele maintains lead at Tournament of Champions

Xander Schauffele is 11 under through 54 holes in Kapalua, Hawaii

Kapalua (Hawaii), January 5: Xander Schauffele carded a two-under-par 71 to stay a stroke clear after round three at the Tournament of Champions.

Defending champion and American golfer Schauffele holed four birdies and two bogeys to maintain his lead atop the leaderboard on Saturday (January 4).

Schauffele – part of the United States' successful Presidents Cup campaign in Melbourne last month – is 11 under through 54 holes in Kapalua, Hawaii.

After hitting 12 of 15 fairways and 16 of 18 greens in regulation, Schauffele is a shot ahead of countryman Justin Thomas heading into Sunday's final round.

Hole-in-one?

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— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 4, 2020

At the PGA Tour tournament, where the field is restricted to golfers who won an event on tour during the previous calendar year, 2017 champion Thomas stayed within touching distance of Schauffele thanks to his third-round 69.

Thomas – also a member of the USA's Presidents Cup triumph – climbed three positions thanks to a flawless front nine, which included five birdies.

Gary Woodland (69) is eight under overall, a stroke ahead of Kevin Kisner (68), Jon Rahm (70), Collin Morikawa (70), J.T. Poston (71), Matthew Wolff (71), Joaquin Niemann (74) and Patrick Reed (74).

After surging into contention on day two, 2015 winner Reed struggled in the windy conditions as slipped four shots off the pace.