Australian Smith missed a birdie on the 18th gap for a 59-16 Smith (Aus), Rahm (Spa) -15 Van Rooyen (SA) -14 Finau (US), Thomas (US) -13 Hoge (US), Hovland (Nor), Lowry (Ire) -12 Conners (Can), Varner III (US) -11 Burns (US), Koepka (US), Swafford (US), Tringale (US), Mitchell (US), Schauffele (US)Chosen others: -10 Westwood (Eng) -6 McIlroy (NI), Poulter (Eng) Leaderboard
Australia’s Cameron Smith carded a course-record 11-under-par 60 to affix Spain’s Jon Rahm on the of the leaderboard on the Northern Belief.
The storm is ready to make landfall about 60 miles east of the Liberty Nationwide Golf Course in New Jersey.
Smith missed a birdie putt on the 18th for a 59.
There have solely been 12-sub scores of 60 earlier than on the PGA Tour – 11 59s and one 58, carded by American Jim Furyk in 2016. Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam grew to become the primary girl in LPGA Tour historical past to card a 59 when she posted a 13-under-par spherical in 2001.
“I feel I used to be nine-under then and yeah, simply needed to press on and needed to see what I may do,” mentioned Smith who had 11 birdies in his spherical.
“Clearly in a fantastic spot, and the final – that final 4 or 5 holes listed here are fairly powerful, so I knew it was going to be a giant ask. However yeah, I performed some actually good golf coming in.”
He added: “It is exhausting to again up a extremely good spherical, so possibly the break day will assist me out.”
World primary Rahm fired a second consecutive 67, whereas South African Erik van Rooyen’s nine-under 62 put him in third on 15 underneath – a shot behind the leaders.
People Justin Thomas and Tony Finau are drained on 14 underneath, with Eire’s Shane Lowry on 13 underneath.
England’s Lee Westwood sits at 10 underneath with compatriot Paul Casey on six underneath alongside Northern Eire’s Rory McIlroy.
